The Czech team of Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik won the US Open mixed doubles Wednesday, saving two match points in a nervy semi-final and then pulling through in a tight final.

The pair survived a second-set pummeling in the championship decider in New York to edge Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and Flavio Cobolli of Italy, 6-3, 1-6, 10-6. 

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Mensik, a singles semi-finalist at this year’s French Open, sealed the triumph with a searing ace to the backhand corner. 

Another Mensik ace saved one of two match points earlier in the evening when the Czech pair edged the Russians Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, 5-4, 3-5, 11-9.

The back-to-back wins secured the first Grand Slam title for both Mensik and Muchova, who lost a heartbreaking Wimbledon singles final in July in three sets to fellow Czech, Linda Noskova.

“At the end the matching outfits made the difference for us,” Muchova quipped during the trophy presentation, referencing the white and maroon kit worn by the team.

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The mixed doubles event is in its second year with a convention-busting format which features shortened sets and multiple matches played the same day.

The competition is scheduled before the main US Open to attract singles stars who usually avoid Grand Slam doubles events to conserve energy for the concluding matches of the biggest events. 

The tournament’s star teams — the cross-generational partnership of Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka — did not make it through the event’s preliminary rounds.

That left open a Grand Slam opportunity for some of the game’s most accomplished non-household names to nab a precious major title, resulting two semifinals and a final that all went the distance.

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Earlier, Cobolli and Bencic beat the married team of Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and Gael Monfils of France in a hard-fought marathon, 4-5, 4-1, 10-5.

The result ended the prospects for a fairytale finale to the career of the acrobatic Monfils, who has said 2026 will be his last season. 

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Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has proposed to his longtime partner, Kasi Bennett, during celebrations marking his 40th birthday in Kingston, Jamaica.

Bolt reportedly got down on one knee in front of family and close friends before presenting Bennett with a diamond engagement ring.

The surprise proposal adds a major new chapter to the couple’s relationship, which has lasted for more than a decade.

Bolt and Bennett began their relationship in 2013 and have since built a family together. They have three children.

The eight-time Olympic champion has often kept his family life away from the spotlight, although he has occasionally shared moments with Bennett and their children on social media.

Bennett has also supported Bolt throughout his life after athletics, as he has remained one of Jamaica’s most recognisable sporting figures since retiring from competitive sprinting.

Bolt, widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time, won eight Olympic gold medals and holds the men’s 100m and 200m world records.

His 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, remains unbeaten.

The proposal came as Bolt celebrated reaching the age of 40, marking another important milestone for the Jamaican sporting icon.

With the engagement now confirmed, Bolt and Bennett are set to begin preparations for the next chapter of their lives together after more than 13 years as a couple.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki has had a mixed second season with the NL West franchise. Sasaki’s struggles worsened after he left Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves with an injury.

Sasaki, who held the Braves to a run over the first three innings, ran into trouble in the fourth. After the Japanese pitcher allowed three earned runs, Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior and interpreter Will Ireton visited the mound.

Dodgers’ head athletic trainer Thomas Albert and manager Dave Roberts also joined them on the mound to evaluate Sasaki’s right hand. The Japanese pitcher exited the game after a brief discussion. He reportedly suffered a blister on the middle finger of his right hand.

Sasaki entered Wednesday’s game with a 2.31 ERA over his last six starts since the All-Star break. However, he exited the game after just 3.1 innings with four earned runs and three strikeouts.

His shaky fourth inning helped the Braves overturn a 3-1 deficit to take a 4-3 lead. The Dodgers sent reliever Edgardo Henriquez to the mound to replace Sasaki.

The Dodgers allowed another run in the sixth inning, but bounced back with two runs in the seventh to make it 5-5.

Dodgers’ pitching depth expected to cope with Roki Sasaki’s injury