Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik captured the US Open mixed doubles championship on Wednesday night, defeating Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6 (10-6) in a thrilling final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Czech pairing claimed the $1 million prize after a marathon evening that saw both the semi-finals and championship match contested back-to-back, with the final concluding just before midnight.
The victory marked a significant outcome for an event that has undergone substantial transformation in recent years. The mixed doubles competition, reimagined last year to attract top singles players, drew considerable attention this week with the returns of Serena Williams (competing for the first time since 2022 after a four-year absence) and Carlos Alcaraz (returning from a four-month wrist injury layoff). However, both exited in the quarter-finals, leaving the tournament in the hands of singles-focused competitors rather than doubles specialists.
Muchova and Mensik's path to the title demonstrated the event's shift in character. According to the WTA, Mensik was competing in mixed doubles for the first time, yet the pairing proved formidable throughout the tournament. They defeated Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev in their semi-final on Wednesday night, advancing to face Bencic and Cobolli after the Italian-Swiss duo overcame Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils in the other semi-final.
How did the format changes reshape the competition?
The tournament's restructuring has been contentious since its redesign last year. Organizers moved the event a week earlier, raised the winners' prize from its previous amount to $1 million, and reduced the field to 16 teams. The format itself features four-game sets until the final, no ad-scoring, and a 10-point tiebreak—elements that drew criticism from those questioning whether such a competition should carry grand slam status.
In response to complaints from doubles specialists excluded from the original 16-team draw, tournament officials introduced an eight-team qualifying competition for 2026, allowing more specialists to enter the main draw. Despite this adjustment, the field was ultimately dominated by singles players. High-profile names including Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, and Felix Auger-Aliassime all exited in the first round, while all four doubles specialist teams were eliminated by the quarter-finals.
What made the semi-finals and final so compelling?
The evening's matches showcased the entertainment value the new format was designed to encourage. In the semi-final between Bencic and Cobolli against Svitolina and Monfils, the latter pairing carried particular intrigue: Monfils and Svitolina began dating in 2018, married in 2021, and have a three-year-old daughter, yet had never played doubles together before this week. Svitolina currently ranks world No. 9, while the 307th-ranked Monfils received a singles wild card and is set to retire after the season. Neither has advanced past a grand slam semi-final.
The Monfils-Svitolina partnership won its opening set tiebreak by holding serve and forcing extended rallies. At 7-7 in that tiebreak, Bencic's backhand struck her out-of-position partner, and Cobolli then double-faulted to conclude the set. Cobolli's frustration was evident as Monfils and Svitolina held for the first game of the second set. The Italian double-faulted his opening serve but recovered to save triple break point—a pivotal moment in the match. He and Bencic broke Monfils in the third game after being down three points, and two games later broke him again without resistance to claim the set. As the match extended past an hour, Monfils and Svitolina's energy waned, and Bencic and Cobolli won 21 of the final 26 points to advance.
The second semi-final between Muchova and Mensik against Andreeva and Rublev proved even more closely contested. The Czech duo's 6-foot-5-inch partner brought aggressive net play while Muchova delivered strong returns. They captured the first set in an 8-6 tiebreak, with Muchova securing it via a graceful backhand volley. Andreeva and Rublev responded in the second set, striking winners down the alleys and forcing the Czechs to work for every point.
The back-and-forth pattern continued into the tiebreak. Muchova and Mensik erased two match points and ran off the final four points, with Mensik's powerful serve proving decisive. The Czechs then had merely 17 minutes to recover before facing Bencic and Cobolli in the championship match.
How did the final unfold?
The brief turnaround appeared not to significantly hamper Muchova and Mensik initially. They dominated the opening set, accumulating eight winners and four aces from Mensik to take it 6-3. However, Bencic and Cobolli seized momentum in the second set, breaking a struggling Muchova to lead 4-1 before Bencic's cross-court forehand in the seventh game forced a tiebreak.
In the decisive tiebreak, Muchova and Mensik delivered crucial points on their final serves. Bencic and Cobolli netted three of four critical points, and Mensik's seventh ace of the night on triple championship point secured the title. The championship match followed immediately after the semi-finals on Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
What does this mean for the tournament's future?
The crowd had noticeably diminished by the time Muchova and Mensik lifted their trophy, yet the earlier attendance during the semi-finals suggested the US Open has successfully established itself as a three-week event. Arthur Ashe Stadium was largely full for Wednesday's semi-finals, and the night before had drawn packed crowds for exhibition matches honoring Roger Federer, featuring Andy Roddick, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, and Federer himself before an audience that included Williams and Anna Wintour.
Throughout their mixed doubles campaign, both Muchova and Mensik emphasized that their primary focus remained the singles draw. Muchova, ranked world No. 6, has reached two major finals and previously advanced to the semi-finals in New York. Mensik is enjoying a career-best season and will attempt to advance past the third round at a major for the first time. Singles competition begins on Sunday, presenting a more challenging path to another title on Ashe, but the pair—and tournament organizers—will likely view this week as a successful launching point for the revamped event.
Key Facts
- Muchova and Mensik defeated Bencic and Cobolli 6-3, 1-6 (10-6) to claim the $1 million prize on Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium
- The mixed doubles event was restructured last year to attract top singles players, featuring a reduced 16-team draw, four-game sets, and a 10-point tiebreak format
- Tournament organizers added an eight-team qualifying draw for 2026 to allow more doubles specialists to compete after criticism of the original format
- High-profile names including Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Aryna Sabalenka all exited early, with all four doubles specialist teams eliminated by the quarter-finals
- Muchova (world No. 6) and Mensik (in his first mixed doubles competition) will now focus on the singles draw, which begins on Sunday
