Tennis

Kato Strikes Back with Mixed Doubles Title at French Open

AP
Japan’s Miyu Kato, left, and Germany’s Tim Puetz hold the trophy after winning the mixed doubles final match of the French Open tennis tournament against Canada’s Bianca Andreescu and New Zealand’s Michael Venus in two sets, 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6), at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, on Thursday.

The Associated Press

21:16 JST, June 8, 2023

PARIS (AP) — Miyu Kato left behind the disappointment of her controversial disqualification in doubles by claiming the mixed doubles title at the French Open on Thursday.

Kato, a 28-year-old player from Japan, and her women’s doubles partner were defaulted during their third-round match last week after Kato accidentally hit a ball girl in the neck after a point.

Kato also forfeited all of her 21,500 euros (about $23,000) in prize money and rankings points from women’s doubles but was allowed to keep participating in mixed doubles.

Playing with Tim Puetz of Germany, they won the tournament by defeating 2019 U.S. Open singles champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada and Michael Venus of New Zealand 4-6, 6-4, 10-6 after a super tiebreak decided the outcome of the match.