NEW YORK — No.7 seeds Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko capped off a perfect fortnight at the US Open by defeating Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-3 to win the doubles title. Kichenok and Ostapenko did not lose a set en route to their first Grand Slam title and fifth team title overall. 

“I think we’re a really great team and I think it was a great two weeks,” Ostapenko said. “We didn’t expect anything and we just kept playing better and better every match and we didn’t lose a set.”

US Open: Scores | Draw | Order of play

After the win, Kichenok, who is engaged to Ostapenko’s coach Stas Kumarsky, revealed the two had an appointment to get married during the second week of the US Open.

“We had an appointment to get married this Wednesday but I had the semifinals,” Kichenok told Mary Joe Fernandez during the trophy ceremony.

Kichenok and Kumarsky postponed their nuptials, and now, Kichenok and Ostapenko are US Open champions.

“When we got here to New York, my boyfriend Stas, he checked where we can do it, because we got engaged, like, more than a year ago,” Kichenok explained later. “We were figuring out all the things, where we can do that. He found a spot here and he just booked an appointment for Wednesday. Just this procedure when you sign the papers, just to do that.

“But I had to play semifinals on Wednesday, and I said, ‘OK, maybe next time. But we’re going to do it somewhere, somehow.'”

Kichenok and Ostapenko began the year by finishing runner-up at the Australian Open, where they lost to No.2 seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Elise Mertens. The US Open is their third title of the year, after winning Brisbane and Eastbourne. A consistent threat at the tour’s biggest events, Kichenok and Ostapenko will surge to No.1 on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals after the tournament.

“I want to dedicate my wins to the people in Ukraine,” Kichenok said. “They are fighting very hard for our freedom right now and I just hope I can give them some encouragement. My heart is with them.”

Facing Mladenovic and Zhang for the first time, Kichenok and Ostapenko stormed to a 4-1 lead early. A stunning backhand return from Ostapenko buoyed the team to their first break of serve. Mladenovic and Zhang were able to level the set at 4-4 with Zhang’s aggressive play at the net, but could not maintain their momentum.

In the longest game of the match, Kichenok and Ostapenko saved five break points to stop Mladenovic and Zhang’s momentum and hold to 5-4. Serving to stay in the set, Mladenovic and Zhang held one game point but ultimately capitulated after Zhang double-faulted on set point. 

Mladenovic and Zhang looked primed for a comeback after building a 3-1 lead in the second set but Kichenok and Ostapenko kept the pressure on to win the last five games of the match. Ostapenko shrugged off any pressure as she stood to the line to serve out the win.

After all, the 2017 Roland Garros champion has served out a major title before.

“I just came to Jelena after the first or second point and told her, ‘Just remember, you are Jelena Ostapenko, you are the best. You have to win it,'” Kichenok said.