Melbourne erupted in celebration as Olivia Gadecki and John Peers etched their names deeper into tennis lore, defending their Australian Open mixed doubles championship with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 win over Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard. The Friday night showdown on Rod Laver Arena delivered edge-of-your-seat drama, culminating in a super tiebreak masterclass.
Early setbacks saw the Aussies drop the first set, but they roared back in the second, forcing the decider. Down 5-7 in the tiebreak, Peers and Gadecki flipped the script with ferocious determination. Gadecki’s clutch smashes and Peers’ unrelenting returns turned the tide. Mladenovic’s errant shot at 8-7 opened the door, Peers pounced to 9-7, and after a brief scare, Guinard’s mishit sealed the deal.
History books rewritten: This duo joins an elite club as the first in 37 years to hold consecutive Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, surpassing all but Novotna-Pugh from the late ’80s. For local fans, it’s a nod to Court-Fletcher’s golden era, making Gadecki-Peers the premier Aussie pair at Melbourne Park.
Gadecki’s joy was palpable: ‘It’s surreal. We believed, but pulling it off feels magical.’ Peers, no stranger to big stages, now boasts three mixed Slam wins—adding to his 2022 US Open with Sanders—plus men’s doubles silverware and Olympic gold.
As confetti rained down, the pair’s chemistry and resilience stood out, promising more fireworks in the mixed doubles circuit. This defense not only thrills but inspires a new generation Down Under.