US Open 2019: Jamie Murray, Bethanie Mattek-Sands become first mixed-doubles duo to win second consecutive title at Flushing Meadows

New York: Britain’s Jamie Murray and Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States captured their second consecutive US Open mixed doubles title on Saturday, defeating top seeds Chan Hao-Ching and Michael Venus 6-2, 6-3. They became the first mixed doubles duo to win back-to-back US Open titles since South African Kevin Curran and American Anne Smith in 1981 and 1982. [caption id=“attachment_7303881” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jamie Murray with the US Open mixed doubles trophy. Reuters[/caption] Murray, who also won the 2017 US Open mixed doubles crown with Martina Hingis, became the first man to capture three US Open mixed doubles titles in a row since Australia’s Neale Fraser from 1958-1960. “We played amazing the whole two weeks, especially the semi-finals and finals,” Murray said. “I’ve always had fun on the court. Really happy to win again.” Mattek-Sands ended matters after 59 minutes with a backhand service return winner. “They were all over us from the start,” Venus said. “Too good.” Murray, a 33-year-old Scotsman, and Mattek-Sands combined to hit 23 winners with only 11 unforced errors in collecting the $160,000 top prize. “Jamie, you were on fire this whole two weeks,” Mattek-Sands said. “We have a lot of fun. He keeps me grounded. I’m the energetic one.” Murray added: “She says I’m the yin to her yang.” Murray’s other Grand Slam mixed doubles crowns came at Wimbledon in 2007 and 2017. Mattek-Sands also has Grand Slam mixed doubles titles at the 2012 Australian Open with Romanian Horia Tecau and the 2015 French Open with compatriot Mike Bryan. New Zealander Venus and Taiwan’s Chan, who had lost to Murray and Hingis in the 2017 US Open mixed final, had not dropped a set until the final this year. “Very happy to play again with Michael,” Chan said. “We hope we can come back again and win this title.”