Daily Dose of Social Media: Wedding postponed for glory, Kichenok and Ostapenko win US Open doubles
Tennis News
Today in our Daily Dose of Social Media, we review the most significant activities and Entertainment from ATP and WTA players. The victory of Jelena Ostapenko and Liudmila Kichenok in the US Open doubles was marked by the Ukrainian’s confession that she had to postpone her wedding to play the semifinals and final of the tournament.
On the other hand, Maria Sharapova joked on social media after her appearance in the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd for the women's semifinal matches.
Nervous in the stands: Sharapova jokes about her reaction at US Open semifinals
Maria
Sharapova joins the many stars who have visited Flushing Meadows to watch the
US Open unfold. The former world No. 1 won her second Grand Slam title back in
the 2006 US Open, when she defeated Justine Henin in straight sets.
It was
recently announced that the former Russian tennis player is one of the
candidates for induction into the Tennis Hall of Fame this year. Alongside her,
the nominees in the “player” category include brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, and
Canadian Daniel Nestor.
The 5-time
Grand Slam champion was in the crowd for the women’s semifinal matches, where
Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula secured their spots in the final. The
official cameras caught Sharapova looking tense during the match, and the
Russian humorously reposted the moment: “😅 I look like I just missed a second serve
return on break point and saw my coach’s reaction 😆”
Kichenok postpones wedding for US Open win with Ostapenko
Jelena
Ostapenko and Lyuda Kichenok were crowned champions of the US Open women's
doubles this Friday, after defeating the pair of Zhang Shuai and Kristina
Mladenovic in the final by 6-4, 6-3. The 7th-seeded duo did not drop a single
set throughout the tournament and secured their first Grand Slam doubles title.
They had
already come close earlier this year when they reached the Australian Open
final together but lost to Elise Mertens and Su-Wei Hsieh.
After the
victory, Kichenok, who is a doubles specialist, revealed that she was set to
marry her boyfriend Stas Kumarsky, who is Ostapenko’s coach. "We had an
appointment to get married this Wednesday, but I had the semifinals,"
Kichenok said during the trophy ceremony.
"It's
a good excuse to postpone it a bit," said Ostapenko. "And now, win a
U.S. Open and go get married, I think it's pretty great."
Both
players also shared a message later on WTA's social media.
Kalinskaya stays in New York for Sinner's semis
Anna
Kalinskaya is once again present at Flushing Meadows to support her boyfriend,
Jannik Sinner, this time during the Italian’s semifinal match. The world No. 1
faces Britain’s Jack Draper (No. 25) in Friday’s first match, aiming for his
first US Open final.
Kalinskaya
was eliminated in the third round by Beatriz Haddad Maia on Saturday, August
31. However, she has remained in New York, supporting Sinner through his
impressive run in the tournament. The Russian is set to play in the WTA 500
Guadalajara Open, where she is the sixth seed. However, the tournament begins
on Monday, so it remains to be seen whether Kalinskaya will make it in time.
If Sinner
advances to the final, he will play on Sunday night, which may leave Kalinskaya
with the decision to stay in New York or travel quickly to the tournament
without proper preparation. The world No. 15 will be in a star-studded draw,
featuring players like Zheng Qinwen, Maria Sakkari, Jelena Ostapenko, and Emma
Navarro, among others.
Roddick jokes about Tiebreakers with Isner and Anderson
Andy Roddick shared a photo with John Isner and Kevin Anderson in the US Open café area. The former world No. 1 joked about the ex-players, saying, “Literally why we play tiebreakers in slams now,” according to the 2003 US Open champion.
Both Isner and Anderson are known as two of the greatest servers in tennis history. Back in 2018, Isner and Anderson played the longest Grand Slam semifinal in history when they faced off at Wimbledon, with the South African winning after 6 hours and 35 minutes.
It is also the second-longest match in Wimbledon history. The longest match also involved Isner, back in 2010, when he played a total of 11 hours against Nicolas Mahut in the first round of the tournament.
Tennis players share the challenges faced by ball kids
ATP and WTA stars took part in an interesting Tennis Channel video where they answered the question, “Why do ball kids have the toughest job in sport?”. The video featured Naomi Osaka, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, Ons Jabeur, and others.
"Players on court can be pretty demanding... Unfortunately, sometimes we don’t treat you guys as well as you deserve," said former world No. 2 Casper Ruud. "There’s always the threat of being hit by a big serve if we miss it and it’s out," he added.
"I feel there’s such a responsibility, to also know the exact rules, when to move, how to give the ball at the right times," said 3-time Grand Slam runner-up Ons Jabeur. "I just want to say thank you to everybody, ball boys and ball girls, for doing an amazing job."
"When we get a break and sit in the shade, you guys are out there holding the umbrellas for us, so you really get no break," commented Denis Shapovalov.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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