Australian Open 2026: Gadecki and Peers defend their mixed doubles title, create history

Australian wildcards Olivia Gadecki and John Peers made history by successfully defending their mixed doubles title, defeating France's Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.

Gadecki and Peers after winning their match point. Image | Australian Open on X

As we enter the final week of the Australian Open 2026, Australian wildcards Olivia Gadecki and John Peers wrote their names into the history books on Friday as they successfully defended their Australian Open mixed doubles title. The Australian pair defeated the French team of Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard in a tight final, winning 4-6, 6-3, and 10-8 in the tiebreaker.

A feat repeated only after 37 years

By winning this title, the Australian pair has become the first team in 37 years to defend their mixed doubles titles in the Australian Open. It was Jana Novotná and Jim Pugh in 1989 who had defended their mixed doubles titles before this.

Not only that, they are now the first all-Australian pair to achieve the landmark of multiple mixed doubles titles since Margaret Court and Ken Fletcher achieved that in 1964.

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Mladenovic and Guinard won the first set

It was not all smooth for the Aussie pair, as they looked a bit shaky at the beginning. Peers struggled with his timing at the beginning as he dropped his serve twice.

While the French legend Mladenovic, who is a nine-time Grand Slam doubles champion, was lethal at the nets, making crucial decisions. The defending champions lost the first 8-4-6.

Gadecki broke first in the second set

But right after losing the first set, the support from the home crowd sparked something within the defending champions. 23-year-old Gadecki found the form and started sending rockets from the baseline, defending Guinard’s second serves comfortably.

Soon she was able to find a break in the fourth game of the second set that gave the Aussie pair a 4-1 lead. In the meantime, Peers found his rhythm, as he subbed a few aces to seal the second set.

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Drama in the Tiebreak

After clinching the second set, it was all about winning the tiebreak. The 10-point tiebreak gave the fans at Melbourne Park what they wanted from a final of a Grand Slam event.

After trailing by 5-7, the Aussie peers looked to struggle against the power of Mladenovic. As they say, "You're never out until you're out." Gadecki forced a critical error at the net before Peers sent a forward winner to earn championship points.

During the second match point, Peers delivered a big serve that Guinard could not defend well, which eventually sent the Aussie player into the history books right away.

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