By Erik Gudris | @ATNTennis | Thursday July 13, 2023
This year’s Wimbledon Mixed Doubles final produced a satisfying and historic victory for one of its participants.
Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine earned her first career major title with Croatia’s Mate Pavic as the team won this year’s Wimbledon Mixed Doubles title.
The No. 7 seeded team defeated Joran Vliegan of Belgium and Yifan Xu of China 6-4, 6-7(9), 6-3 to win the title.
The 30-year-old Ukraine native Kichenok is the first player from her country to win a major title since the very public conflict between Ukraine and Russia started in early 2022.
“I try to encourage the people of Ukraine with my performance. I hope it’s going to help them a little bit as they are fighting for their freedom,” Kichenok said after the match that earned her a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd.
Both teams saved a match point against them in earlier matches before reaching the final. The final proved close all the way through as for two and a half sets as only one break of serve separated them down the stretch.
The turning point came as Xu dropped serve in the eighth game of the final set. Pavic, a former World No. 1 in doubles who holds five major doubles titles already, including a men’s doubles title at Wimbledon, sealed the deal in the last game. Kichenok struck a decisive smash winner on match point to clinch the hard-fought three set win.
“I played a few finals here. I lifted a trophy a few years ago. This is my first time in mixed.” Pavic said afterwards winning his sixth career major title. “It’s always incredible to play here. It’s always a special story with Wimbledon.”
Kichenok was able to earn victory for her native Ukraine after her countrywoman Elina Svitolina fell just short in her singles semifinals loss to Czech Marketa Vondrousova earlier in the day 6-3, 6-3.