MELBOURNE, Australia – It's been quite a ride the past 12 months for Baylor men's tennis alumnus John Peers as he won the Australian Open 2025 mixed doubles title partnered with Olivia Gadecki.
Prior to claiming the Australian Open title in his home country on Friday, Peers represented Australia in the 2024 Paris Olympics this past summer. Peers had tremendous success in Paris as he sealed a men's doubles gold medal with Matthew Ebden.
This marks as Peers' second Grand Slam mixed doubles title, having previously won the US Open 2022 in the same category. Peers also claimed the 2017 Australian Open in men's doubles.
Gadecki and Peers battled back from a set down to defeat compatriots Kimberly Birrell and John Patrick Smith 3-6, 6-4, 10-6. It was the first all-Australian final at the tournament in the Open Era and the first since 1967.
A transfer from Middle Tennessee State, Peers earned doubles All-America honors with Roberto Maytin as a senior at Baylor in 2011, helping the Bears win the Big 12 regular-season title and advance to the NCAA quarterfinals. He finished the 2011 season ranked No. 5 in doubles and No. 21 in singles.
