Mirnyi, Hlavackova win US Open mixed doubles title

Max Mirnyi of Belarus won his third US Open mixed doubles crown Friday, joining Czech Andrea Hlavackova to beat Mexican Santiago Gonzalez and American Abigail Spears 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in the final. The seventh-seeded European duo needed only 86 minutes to capture the crown over the unseeded North Americans for the $150,000 top prize at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Mirnyi won his first US Open mixed doubles crown alongside current women's singles world number one Serena Williams in 1998 and took his second in 2007 alongside compatriot Victoria Azarenka, now the world number two. Williams beat Azarenka in last year's US Open women's singles final. "New York is the best city to play tennis, this is the best stadium to play tennis and I always get the best partners," said Mirnyi, who was also a mixed doubles runner-up in 2000 alongside Russian Anna Kournikova. Hlavackova, who remains in the women's doubles event with compatirot Lucie Hradecka, gave Mirnyi the lion's share of credit for the victory. "He was unbelievable," she said. "He covered 80 percent of the court. It was easy for me to make some magical returns." Source: AFP