Why mixed doubles are the most fascinating draw at Wimbledon – Venus Williams, Jamie Murray, Coco Gauff, Jack Sock
Why mixed doubles are the most fascinating draw at Wimbledon – Venus Williams, Jamie Murray, Coco Gauff, Jack Sock. On Friday, right after the last match on No. 1 Court was over, an announcement was made. That night, there would be one more match. As the fans waited for the players to take the court, not many of them got up from their seats. As word spread around the All England Club grounds, more people came into the stadium to see what was going on. In their first-round mixed doubles match, Venus Williams and Jamie Murray would play against Alicja Rosolska and Michael Venus.
William on Playing with Murray
Williams said that she had wanted to play with Murray for “a long time,” but she joked that he was “hard to get.” The 42-year-old had no plans to play at all when she got to Wimbledon, but once she saw the grass, she changed her mind. Murray’s coach texted him at the last minute to ask if he could play with her, and he said yes. Both of them seemed happy to have the chance to play.
The match between Williams, who has won singles and doubles at Wimbledon 11 times, and Murray, who is the local favorite and has won seven majors in doubles and mixed and is a seven-time winner, was an instant must-see. They more than lived up to the hype when they won in three sets in a dramatic match that went late into the night and needed the roof to be closed so the lights could be turned on. When it was over, the crowd—almost all of whom had stayed until the end—gave them a big round of applause.
Due to upsets, COVID, and the fact that Russian and Belarusian players were banned before the second week at the All England Club, it was a much-needed boost of star power at the tournament.
Mixed Doubles’ Attention
Mixed doubles don’t get a lot of attention at the Grand Slams, but every once in a while, there is a pair of stars that is too interesting to ignore. So it was for the younger siblings of Serena Williams and Andy Murray, who played together at the All England Club in 2019 and made it to the third round. Most of the time, Williams-Murray teams play on the show courts, but mixed doubles matches are usually put on the outer courts and are the least important match of the day. They also don’t get much attention on TV, as they are rarely shown.
But not many of the well-known players do it for the money or the praise. Instead, it gives them a chance to play with and against people they would never get to play with or against otherwise. And it’s a chance to have fun during a Grand Slam, which is otherwise a solemn event.
Mixed doubles are only played at major tournaments. Doubles are played at every tour event. Players don’t even have to sign up until the end of the first round of singles. As a result, you rarely get to play with the same partner, let alone practice with them, and the fact that you don’t know each other well often leads to some of the best moments on and off the court.
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