Lyudmyla Kichenok delays wedding plans after winning US Open doubles title: "A valid reason"
Jelena Ostapenko and Kitchenok claimed the women's doubles title in straight sets.
Despite not receiving the ring, Ukrainian tennis player Lyudmyla Kichenok achieved a fairytale ending.
On Friday, Kitchenok and her women's doubles partner, Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, emerged victorious at the U.S. Open, defeating Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai in straight sets.
Despite not dropping a set throughout the tournament, Kichenok had to cancel a crucial appointment earlier this week.
""My boyfriend could be my husband if we had gotten married this Wednesday, but we couldn't because I was playing in the semifinals," she said of Stas Khmarskiy, Ostapenko's coach."
"It's a good excuse to postpone it a bit," Ostapenko remarked.
In the first set, Kichenok and Ostapenko led 4-1, but Mladenovic and Zhang came back to tie it at 4-all. Kichenok and Ostapenko would eventually win the first set 6-2, but they would lose two games in the second set.
The duo climbed back to win the title 6-4, 6-3.
Kichenok received a bottle of champagne and a heartfelt note from American tennis player Jessica Pegula after the match.
"Congrats on a great tournament! I saw your wedding is on Wednesday."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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