US OPEN

August 25, 2026

Karolina Muchova

Jakub Mensik

Press Conference

MUCHOVA-MENSIK/Mladenovic-Arevalo

4-1, 2-4, 10-7

THE MODERATOR: Thank you both for coming. We'll get each of your thoughts on the day and looking ahead to tomorrow.

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: Thank you. Yeah, I mean, it was a pretty good day for us. I think we are looking forward to play. We are happy we got into the mixed doubles as the last ones.

I think first match today was a bit tricky. We were just trying to get used to each other, how to communicate, what we going to play. I think already in the second match we played way better, maybe way more relaxed and aggressive.

I enjoyed playing next to Jakub.

THE MODERATOR: Jakub?

JAKUB MENSIK: I mean, definitely like Karolina said, was really great day. If someone will tell us before today's matches that we'll be the ones that will be in the semifinals, I would take it definitely.

I mean, really I didn't have any expectations from mixed doubles. It's actually my first time. It was quite fun. I really enjoyed every moment on the court.

I mean, of course it's easier with Karolina to play, as well, because yeah, she has really, really great skills on the volleys. She's playing very aggressive. It's really great to have this kind of support as well on the court.

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about how the partnership came about. Do you know each other particularly well?

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: No, I don't know who is he (laughter).

Before we came here, we already got this question twice. I'm not answering. You can answer this time.

JAKUB MENSIK: She answered two times for this question.

Like she said, it is fun she knows the story (smiling).

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: Long story short, Jakub kept texting me so much, Please, Karolina, play with me.

I'm like, You have to improve your ranking so we can get in. Then he pull out semifinals in Roland Garros. We are here. And we know each other, yeah.

Q. How long have you known each other? Have you ever played together?

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: I actually remember when he was here first time with his parents playing qualifying. I was watching him. I don't know what year that was.

JAKUB MENSIK: It was 2023.

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: '23.

JAKUB MENSIK: Definitely, yeah. Nice story.

Q. You looked notably coordinated. You planned these pink outfits, Jakub. Did that feel like the key to your success today?

JAKUB MENSIK: No, it's definitely one of the most important things, to look good on the court, as well (laughter).

No, I mean, because we are both adidas players, so we received our outfits. I just texted because I have some kind of different color variations. Yeah, we had to kind of a little bit to adjust exactly. It was kind of tricky. I didn't understand some of the colors that she was saying, as well.

No, but it just came up yesterday at night.

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: Yeah, I was like, Let's take the maroon shorts.

He's like, What is maroon?

I am like, Okay, that's going to be a problem.

JAKUB MENSIK: I was like, even this purple. Yeah, no, it was fun.

Q. You say this is your first-ever mixed doubles match today?

JAKUB MENSIK: Yes, it is. I mean, I played one when I was nine years old, but I guess it's not counting.

Q. You beat players who won Grand Slams in mixed before. How were you able to do it?

JAKUB MENSIK: I will say if we play till basically regular rules, till six games, will be much more difficult. Because we are just playing till four games, it's kind of sometimes you get lucky maybe in the first set. They were not really warmed up on that court. In the second set, I mean, I lost my serve. Out of nowhere it's match tiebreak.

Probably in the regular rules, it will be much more difficult. But yeah, I mean, we play really great, and I'm happy for that.

Q. This is the second year of this new mixed doubles format. You're singles players first and foremost. Playing against doubles players, how does that change the mindset? Do you think more berths in the tournament should be allotted to doubles players or do you see the benefit of having more singles players playing it?

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: I would say if we play doubles players, which was our first match, they keep us more on our toes because you see how quick they are. They are basically playing doubles while we are still kind of playing singles, but we were trying to hit those hard returns, playing crosses. Sometimes we switch.

Yeah, they are used to all those variations and they see the court I would say a little bit different and better because obviously they are playing way more doubles than we are.

The second question, what was it? If there should be more doubles players playing it?

Q. Singles players are getting priority. Do you think there should be more allotments towards doubles players?

JAKUB MENSIK: Yeah, I mean, everyone has their own truth. So it's very tough to say.

Yeah, definitely it's much more exciting, that's for sure, for the tournament, for the fans. Yeah, I mean, I like it. It's very tough to say, yeah. Just that.

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: It's not on us kind of. I think that's what he want to say.

It's nice that they actually expand a little bit the draw and there is more space as well for doubles players. It's a nice mix, I would say.

Q. I think you guys place Svitolina-Monfils next.

KAROLINA MUCHOVA: No.

JAKUB MENSIK: I don't know, to be honest. I think we are still waiting. They are playing right now on Armstrong.