Jan Zieliński and Su-Wei Hsieh won the final of the Australian Open against Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski in the mixed doubles’ category. 

Polish tennis fans had high hopes for this year’s Australian Open. Iga Świątek, Hubert Hurkacz, Magdalena Fręch… All of them left the scene sooner or later. The last Pole standing was Jan Zieliński and his Taiwanese partner. 

The first set of the final was tight. Both teams tried to take the upper hand in lengthy and complex points. Krawczyk and Skupski broke and led 5-3 before their opponents fought back and forced a tie-break. In the latter, both teams neutralised each other until 4-4. That is when the Brit and the American took the lead and sealed the first set (7-5). 

Boosted with confidence, Skupski and Krawczyk broke and took the lead in the second set (4-2 and 15-0). Zieliński and Hsieh refused to give up and fought back. They won four games in a row and forced a decider in the form of a super tie-break (first to ten – editor’s note)

The Pole and the Taiwanese took an early lead (4-0) before seeing their leverage melt like chocolate in the sun (7-7). The ultimate clutch moment of the match had arrived. At 8-8, anything could happen. Eventually, Zieliński and Hsieh saved a match point and turned the tide to seal the victory.  

The story of these two is all the more inspiring when we know than Su-Wei Hsieh is 38 and that she did not even know her Polish partner a few weeks ago. Hsieh was looking for a partner for the mixed doubles category and that is when Jan Zieliński (27) proposed to team up with her. This will remain one of the most inspiring stories of the 2024 edition of the Australian Open. 

Image: X (@wta)

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen