Last-Minute Decision leads To US Open Mixed Doubles Title

Written by: Staff on 7th September 2012

Last-Minute Decision leads To US Open Mixed Doubles Title

epa03379130 Ekaterina Makarova of Russia serves to Serena Williams of the US during their match on the sixth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 01 September 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JASON SZENES |

The US Open mixed doubles champions, Bruno Soares and Ekaterina Makarova, entered the team competition at the last minute — quite literally, according to Soares.

The Brazilian was about to sign up with Jarmila Gadjosova but found that the two were in danger of not making the cut. He then recalled Makarova’s earlier offer to play together.

“Five minutes to go, I’m here in the referee’s office and I find out Katia is practicing in the park,” said Soares. “So I had to run — actually, my coach did that. He went running all the way over there and talked to her and called me like 30 seconds to go and said, You can sign. So very last minute, 11:59, I signed us in. I guess it work out.”

The two beat Marcin Matkowski and Kveta Peschke 12-10 in the third set mach tiebreak to take the final, also defeating Bob Bryan and Kim Clijsters along the way in what was Clijsters’ last competitive match.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Bob Bryan, Bruno Soares and Ekaterina Makarova, Jarmila Gadjosova, Kim Clijsters, Kveta Peschke, mix tennis news, Sports, Tennis, US Open 2012