Gadecki and Peers Make History, Retain Australian Open 2026 Mixed Doubles Title After 37 Years
Hometown duo Olivia Gadecki and John Peers become first team in 37 years to defend Australian Open mixed doubles crown, edging past Mladenovic and Guinard in a nail biting final.
Melbourne, Jan 30 – Olivia Gadecki and John Peers rewrote the record books on Friday, becoming the first pairing in 37 years to successfully defend their Australian Open mixed doubles title. The Australian duo triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 over France’s Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard in a thrilling Rod Laver Arena finale.
“I don’t quite know where to start. I can’t believe we are in this position,” Gadecki said at the trophy ceremony. “I knew we could do it, but I didn’t think we really could.”
Gadecki and Peers are the first team to win consecutive Australian Open mixed doubles titles since Jana Novotna and Jim Pugh in 1988-89, and the first Australians to defend a home Slam since Margaret Court and Ken Fletcher achieved the feat in 1963-64.
For Peers, this marks his third Grand Slam mixed doubles crown, having also won the US Open in 2022 with Storm Sanders. He previously captured the Australian Open men’s doubles title in 2017 with Henri Kontinen and claimed Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games alongside Matthew Ebden.
Gadecki secured her second Grand Slam mixed doubles title after her breakthrough win at Melbourne Park in 2025 with Peers.
The final was tightly contested. After trailing 5-7 in the match tiebreak, the Australians held their nerve, winning five of the final six points. Gadecki remained composed on the baseline while Peers delivered a decisive return winner to take a 9-7 lead and two championship points. Mladenovic and Guinard saved one point, but the match ended when Guinard’s return went into the net.
This historic victory cements Gadecki and Peers as one of Australia’s most formidable mixed doubles pairings in recent decades.
