Second seeds Shibahara-Koolhof win mixed title

Japan’s Ena Shibahara (right) and the Netherlands’ Wesley with their French Open mixed doubles winner’s trophy. Pic/AFP

No.2 seeds Ena Shibahara and Wesley Koolhof won the French Open mixed doubles title, defeating Ulrikke Eikeri and Joren Vliegen, 7-6(5), 6-2 in the final on Thursday night.

Shibahara, ranked No.8 in doubles, won her first major title and became the first Japanese player in 25 years to win the mixed doubles championship in Paris. The California-born 24-year-old was not born when Rika Hiraki and Mahesh Bhupathi took home the title in 1997.

"It was our first time playing together and I'm so thankful you asked me to play, it was so much fun," Shibahara said to her partner at the presentation ceremony after the victory that came in one hour and29 minutes.

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