Local wild cards Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler defeated Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to win the Australian Open men’s doubles title here on Saturday.
Playing together for the first time, Australians Hijikata and Kubler ensured an Australian Open trophy stayed home. They knocked off three top-10 seeds, including top-ranked Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski in the quarter finals, on way to the summit clash.
Nys and Zielinski were also playing in their maiden grand slam final and only linked as a pair last March. No all-Australian pairing since the legendary Woodies — Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde — had won the Open men’s doubles in a quarter of a century until last year when the ‘Special Ks’, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis won the title.
Junior champions
Alexander Blockx of Belgium beat American Learner Tien 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (11-9) to win the junior boys championship. “It was one of the hardest battles of my life,” the 17-year-old Blockx said.
In the junior girls singles final, ninth seed Alina Korneeva beat seventh seed Mirra Andreeva 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 7-5 in a baseline duel between the 15-year-old Russian doubles partners.
Ninth on the trot
Dutch legend Diede de Groot extended her winning streak to nine consecutive grand slam titles when she beat Yui Kamiji of Japan 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the women’s wheelchair singles final.
In the quad singles final, Sam Schroder beat Niels Vink 6-2, 7-5.
Written with inputs from Reuters
