Photo : Martin Sidorjak
Bianca Andreescu is going for her first Grand Slam mixed doubles title this morning at Roland-Garros.
She and partner Michael Venus are taking on Miyu Kato and Tim Puetz in the title match. Andreescu is looking to win her second major title overall to go along with her singles win at the 2019 US Open.
With a win, Andreescu would become the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam title in both singles and doubles. She would also join Daniel Nestor as the only Canadians to win major titles in two different events (Nestor won eight men’s doubles and four mixed doubles titles at Grand Slam events in his career).
Andreescu could also become the fifth active player, all women, to win at least one Grand Slam title in both singles and doubles. She would join Victoria Azarenka, Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova and Venus Williams. The latter two have won at least one singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles title.
Read also: Andreescu and Venus Excited for Roland-Garros Mixed Doubles Final
The last Canadian to win a Grand Slam doubles title was Gabriela Dabrowski, who won the mixed doubles at the 2018 Australian Open. Dabrowski, who lost to Andreescu in the mixed doubles semis, is also the last Canadian to win the French Open at the professional level, claiming the 2017 mixed doubles title.
Follow along with live updates from the French Open mixed doubles final:
GAME SET MATCH KATO/PUETZ 4-6, 6-4, [10-6]
Despite recovering one minibreak, another point lost on the Venus serve ends the match in favour of the Japanese-German pair.
Match tiebreak: 6-3 Kato/Puetz
A double fault and forehand long from Venus give away both of his service points.
Match tiebreak: 3-3
Andreescu and Kato exchange minibreaks as the breaker remains even.
SECOND SET KATO/PUETZ 6-4
A double fault from Puetz as he serves for the set gives two break back points, but Kato bails out her partner with two volley winners to close out the second set and send the match to a super tiebreak.
6-4, 4-5 Kato/Puetz
For the first time in the set, Venus finds himself in trouble on serve down 15-40. Kato and Puetz both miss their returns, but Kato puts away a volley on the deciding point to steal the break.
6-4, 4-4
Another look at a break on the Kato serve for Andreescu and Venus, but the Canadian drives her return into the net. The Japanese continues to have the toughest service games after Andreescu, Venus, and Puetz all held to love.
6-4, 2-2
Andreescu and Venus have a look at a break on a deciding point, but Puetz puts away a volley. All four players hold their first service game of the second set.
FIRST SET ANDREESCU/VENUS 6-4
Andreescu rips a backhand winner for 15-40, triple break and set point on the Puetz serve. Kato puts away a volley to save the first, but Puetz nets a forehand on the second to hand the opening set to the Canada-New Zealand duo. They won the last four games of the set, having been a point away from being a double break drown.
5-4 Andreescu/Venus
For the first time in the match, Venus has an easy go of it on serve, holding to love to give them their first lead of the day.
4-4
Venus takes control of another Kato service game to set up triple break point and this time punches a well-placed volley to tie up to the opening set.
3-2 Kato/Puetz
Venus nets a forehand to go down double break point, but a net cord goes their way on the first and Andreescu closes out the game with a volley winner to avoid going down the double break.
3-1 Kato/Puetz
Great returning from the Canadian-New Zealand pair gives them a quadruple break point, but three great volleys from Puetz along with a missed return allows Kato to hold.
2-1 Kato/Puetz
Andreescu faces pressure on her serve the first time she steps up to the line as well as she struggles to keep her backhand in play, but she escapes with a hold as Kato nets her return on the deciding point.
1-0 Kato/Puetz
A tricky start for Andreescu and Venus and the New Zealander is broken in the opening game.
