Allami Becomes First Moroccan To Win Major Title
Malak El Allami, alongside her partner Emily Sartz-Lunde claimed the US Open Junior Doubles Championship after an intense 6-2, 4-6 [10-6] victory on Saturday afternoon. They defeated the duo of Julia Stusek (Germany) and Julie Pastikova (Czechia) in the final. El Allami made history and becomes the first Moroccan to win a major title in Tennis tournaments.
Originally from Casablanca, Morocco, El Allami also competed in the junior singles tournament, making it to the second round before focusing on doubles. She is familiar with grand slam competitions, having participated in the Australian Open earlier this year, as well as Roland Garros and Wimbledon in previous seasons.
The match saw El Allami and Sartz-Lunde dominate the first set but lose the second, 4-6, which led to a deciding 10-point tiebreaker. With the score tied at 5-5 in the tiebreak, the pair secured four straight points, sealing the win with a decisive backhand shot.
Their journey to the final was anything but easy. El Allami and Sartz-Lunde had to fight through several close matches, requiring tiebreaks in their first three rounds. However, in the semifinals, they secured a straightforward 6-3, 6-4 victory, advancing to the final.