Imagine this: you’re heading into one of the most important tournaments of your life, but instead of feeling confident, you’re already bracing for an early exit. So much so, that you go ahead and schedule your wedding right in the middle of the tournament, assuming you’ll be whisked out and free to walk down the aisle. But then—plot twist—fate has other plans, and instead of packing your bags early, you keep winning. Not just a match here or there, but the whole tournament! This isn’t some fancy sports fairy tale. It’s the real-life scenario for Ukrainian tennis star Lyudmyla Kichenok.

Kichenok partnered with Jelena Ostapenko for the women’s doubles at Flushing Meadows. But she didn’t anticipate she would be playing the finals, as she scheduled her wedding for the 4th of September. However, the WTA pair displayed some sensational skills and teamwork together and eventually clinched the title at the final grand slam of the year. They defeated Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-3 to win the prize money of $750 thousand. This upward trajectory, however, forced the Ukrainian player to postpone her wedding.

Right after winning the title, Kichenok revealed a secret that took everyone by surprise. Speaking at the post-match ceremony, she said, “Also, my boyfriend could be husband actually. Because we were supposed to get married this Wednesday but it didn’t happen.” Interestingly, Kichenok’s boyfriend is a member of her doubles partner Ostapenko’s team. 

Kichenok’s fiance works with Ostapenko as her coach. The two have been practicing since 2023. But the semifinal match forced him and Kichenok to postpone the wedding. “We had actually an appointment to get married this Wednesday, but just because I was playing the semifinals,” the Ukrainian star added. The pair of Kichenok and Ostapenko was supposed to take on Chan Hao-ching and Veronika Kudermetova just a day after their wedding was scheduled, and hence, the Ukrainian decided to temporarily shelve her wedding. The couple had earlier shared the news of their engagement in April this year.

As Kichenok announced the decision to postpone her wedding, she also received the support of Ostapenko who revealed that the players did not expect such a grand victory. 

“It’s a good excuse’ Jelena Ostapenko supports Lyudmyla Kichenok’s decision to postpone wedding

While Lyudmyla Kichenok looked a little upset because of the postponement of the wedding, her doubles partner Ostapenko lauded the decision that made the pair reach the glory. Speaking at the post-match interview, Ostapenko said, “I think it’s a good excuse to postpone it a bit.” She also revealed that the players did not expect much ahead of the tournament. “We are a really great team, and I think it was just an amazing two weeks. We didn’t expect anything. We were just playing better and better every match. We didn’t lose one set, so it was a really good tournament.”

But Kichenok is now free to plan her wedding again. It is anticipated that the couple will be soon announcing their wedding date to celebrate the US Open glory in the best way possible.