For the first time since 1967, the Australian Open will have an all-Australian mixed doubles final after the teams of Olivia Gadecki/John Peers and Kimberley Birrell/JP Smith both booked their spots in the final with straight sets victories.
Birrell and Smith faced British pairing Olivia Nicholls and Henry Patten, with the latter also being in the men’s doubles semi-finals, and always looked in control of the match. Despite a blip when serving for the first set, the Aussies controlled the tiebreak and then dominated the second set, targeting the Nicholls serve to claim a 7-6(2) 6-2 victory.
"[Birrell] stepped up in big points today," said Smith. "She's done a lot in both tiebreakers we've played this week, and I learned a lot from that."
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Gadecki and Peers also dominated the second-seeded Kiwis Erin Routliffe and Michael Venus, breaking the Routliffe serve in each set to secure a 6-4 6-4 win.
"It’s always [been] one of my dreams to make a Grand Slam final," said Gadecki. "So to be playing in one at the age of 22 is pretty cool. And to hopefully play another Aussie [team] would be incredible."
The two pairs know each other well, with Peers and Smith combining sporadically in men’s doubles over the years and Birrell and Gadecki playing together at the Australian Open in women’s doubles over the past two weeks.
"[Gadecki and I] gel really well," said Birrell. "We practice together at home, both growing up on the Goldie and still living there. Yeah, I said in my on-court interview, we know each other's games really well."
Birrell understandably would not reveal anything about strategy prior to the match, but said that the familiarity that the teams have with each other would mean the match will come down to small details.
"We all know each other, so I think it's probably going to come down to whoever backs themselves on the day and whoever trusts each other's games and the teamwork," she said.
"I think we've been gelling together super well. So it's going to be really fun. I think it's really cool it's an all-Aussie final. Anything can happen on the day."
A defining feature of Birrell and Smith’s run has been the vociferous presence of Smith’s college friends from the University of Tennessee, who have been decked out in orange and cheering after almost every point. Smith said that having such a passionate crowd in attendance has been a key part of their run to the finals.
"To play in front of a crowd with noise and energy - I'm sure Kim can relate - it just makes it so much fun. It just brings out, especially when they're cheering for all of us today, it was great," said the 35-year-old.
The pair were thrilled at the prospect of an all-Australian final and the opportunity to play in front of a big crowd, after Tennis Australia revealed that ground-pass holders would be allowed entry into the final.
"It's really cool," said Birrell. "I think it's pretty rare for players now to play in all three. To compete together at our home slam is super cool. Had so many amazing Australian stories. So to contribute to that is really special."
The final will be played Friday at 12pm on Rod Laver Arena, accessible to Centre Court ticket holders.
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