A packed Rod Laver Arena witnessed a rare slice of Australian Open history on January 30 as Olivia Gadecki and John Peers successfully defended their mixed doubles crown, achieving a feat not seen at Melbourne Park for nearly four decades.
The Australian wildcard pairing rallied from a set down to defeat France’s Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 4-6, 6-3, (10-8), becoming the first duo since 1989 to retain the Australian Open mixed doubles title. Their triumph also marked the first time an all-Australian team has defended the title since Margaret Court and Ken Fletcher accomplished the feat 62 years ago.
For Gadecki, the victory represented her second Grand Slam title, while Peers added a fourth major trophy to his decorated career. Overcome with emotion after the win, Gadecki admitted the achievement was still sinking in. “Holding the trophy again feels unreal. We believed in ourselves, but doing it twice is something special,” she said.
The final unfolded as a contest of momentum shifts and nerve-testing moments. The French pair struck first, breaking serve early and capitalising on a scrappy opening set filled with service breaks. Although the Australians threatened a comeback, Mladenovic and Guinard held firm to take the opening set.
Buoyed by a partisan crowd chanting their names, Gadecki and Peers regrouped in the second set, finding greater rhythm on serve and attacking decisively at the net. An early break proved decisive, and Peers closed the set with an ace to force the championship match tiebreak.
The deciding super tiebreak delivered high drama. Both teams struggled to settle, with mini-breaks traded and momentum swinging repeatedly. The French duo briefly edged ahead, but the Australians responded with fearless shot-making under pressure. Peers’ forehand winner earned championship points before Guinard, contesting his first Grand Slam final, sent a final shot into the net.
Despite the defeat, Mladenovic praised her partner and the journey they had shared. “Defending a Grand Slam title is extremely difficult, and they deserve full credit. A few months ago, I was barely able to walk, and Manuel believed in me from the start,” said the nine-time Grand Slam champion.
