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Home  » Sports » This US Open champ is going viral. Here's why

This US Open champ is going viral. Here's why

By REDIFF SPORTS
September 07, 2024 11:20 IST
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Lyudmyla Kichenok with fiance Stas Khmarsky

IMAGE: Lyudmyla Kichenok with fiance Stas Khmarsky. Photograph: Khmarskyi Stanislav/Instagram

Lyudmyla Kichenok is the newly-crowned US Open women's doubles champion, but that's not the only story around her that's caught the world's attention.

Kichenok was to get married this week but revealed on Friday that her unexpected appearance in the business end of the tournament forced a postponement.

Kichenok is engaged to fellow Ukrainian Stas Khmarsky, the coach of her doubles partner Jelena Ostapenko, and she made sure to include him in her speech during the on-court trophy presentation at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

 

"Also my boyfriend, could be husband actually because we were supposed to get married this Wednesday but it didn't happen," Kichenok said in an on-court interview.

"We had actually an appointment to get married this Wednesday but (had to postpone) just because I was playing in the semi-finals," to a roar and applause from the crowd.

"It's a good excuse to postpone it a bit. And now, win a US Open and go get married, I think it's pretty great," said her partner Ostapenko.

Kichenok and former French Open singles champion Ostapenko did not drop a set en route to winning their first Grand Slam doubles title as a team.

Lyudmuyla Kichenok

 

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