Harri Heliövaara is the second Finnish adult Grand Slam tournament winner after Henri Kontinen.
Harri Heliövaara and Kazakh Anna Danilina have won the US Open mixed doubles title. In the final match, the Americans fell Austin Krajicek and Jessica Pegula 6–3, 6–4.
Before Heliövaara, the only Finn who has won the adult Grand Slam championship was Henri Kontinen. Kontinen celebrated the mixed doubles championship in Wimbledon in 2016 and the doubles championship in Australia in 2017.
Heliövaara and Danilina had an excellent start to the match when they broke Krajicek’s pass and took a 2–0 lead. Danilina also kept her serve despite the difficulties, so the situation was already 3–0.
The set ended with Heliövaara and Danilina winning 6–3. They were strong in deciding points, which are played in 40-40 situations.
Right at the beginning of the second set, Krajicek’s serve was broken again. The Finnish-Kazakh pair once again cleared tight spots with Heliövaara’s pass, but then Pegula also managed to get out of a difficult position to win her pass and right after Danilina’s pass was broken, so the situation was 2–2.
In a 4-4 situation, the Finnish-Kazakh pair once again broke Krajicek’s pass, so Heliövaara was able to pass for the win. It worked out great and the second match ball brought the solution.
Heliövaara and Danilina had never met before the tournament, but in New York the pair’s game started to go well.
The opponents were of a really tough class, as Krajicek will become number one in men’s doubles and Pegula number one in women’s doubles in the list that will be published on Monday.
The winning pair will receive a total of $170,000 for the championship.
Heliövaara and Danilina got to lift the trophy in the world’s biggest tennis stadium, the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
– I want to thank my partner. I have no words, this has been an incredible journey, said Danilina.
After Heliövaara got the microphone, he thanked his team, as well as his family, his wife and his 2-year-old and six-week-old children, who are on site in New York.
Heliövaara already gave the microphone away, but took it back. because he had forgotten to thank Danilina.
– He is the reason why we are standing here.