Erin Routliffe and Michael Venus faced disappointment on January 23, 2023, at the Australian Open, exiting the mixed doubles tournament after losing to Australian wildcards Olivia Gadecki and John Peers. The semifinal match, held on the iconic Margaret Court Arena, ended with scores of 6-4, 6-4, showcasing the resilience and tenacity of the Kiwi duo but also highlighting the challenges they faced against their opponents.
The atmosphere was electric as the two countries faced off, reminiscent of the famed Bledisloe Cup rivalry. Fans waved flags and cheered passionately, contributing to the vibrant scene with chants of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi" echoing throughout the arena. Despite the overwhelming support of the crowd for the Australians, those from New Zealand were not outdone, contributing to the chorus with supportive shouts of "Let's go Kiwis!".
The match saw Routliffe and Venus showcasing their skills through tense rallies, but it was their Australian opponents who capitalized on the pivotal moments. Venus struggled during the ninth game of the first set, unable to successfully defend against Gadecki's powerful returns. A long rally culminated with Routliffe hitting a volley straight to the net, giving the Australians the break they needed.
Gadecki and Peers continued their dominance as they moved to the second set, with Peers stepping up significantly. Routliffe, currently the World No. 2, was broken again early on when her serve was challenged by Peers, who executed deep groundstrokes, forcing her to falter. From then on, the game proceeded closely with both pairs holding their serves until Peers sealed the match with an ace down the middle, bringing the Kiwis' campaign to a sudden end.
“I’m disappointed in the last 10 minutes,” Routliffe expressed after the match, reflecting on key moments where they could have converted opportunities. "I had a few chances on Olivia's serve but to be honest, she served really well, and I was having trouble reading it. They played well in the big moments. I would like a couple of the shots back, but it's over now. We had a good tournament; it's always fun to play with Mike. But yeah, I'm a little upset.”
Despite their loss, the performance by Routliffe and Venus was commendable, indicating their growth and chemistry as partners on the court. They had both reached this same stage at last year’s Wimbledon, and their consistent performances suggest they are steadily becoming formidable contenders.
Venus shared his perspective on their partnership during the semifinal, reflecting on their emotional expressions during matches which occasionally may seem intense. “Sometimes maybe we don't look like the happiest out there, but actually we have a really good time playing with each other and it's good energy,” he said. "When we play, we do well, we're putting ourselves in some good positions. So if we can keep doing this over time, we’d eventually like to go one or two matches farther.”
Routliffe still has her women's doubles semifinal to look forward to, teaming up with Canadian Gaby Dabrowski against the unorthodox pairing of Hsieh Su-Wei from Taipei and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko. With continued determination and the support of their fans, there is hope for another strong showing from the New Zealand star as she aims to make the most of her time on the court.
While Routliffe and Venus' Australian Open mixed doubles Dream came to an end, their performance left fans optimistic about their future endeavors and their potential to capture Grand Slam titles together. If they maintain their synergy and continue building upon their strengths, there’s no doubt they will be formidable opponents on the court again soon.