All-Aussie Open mixed doubles final a long time coming

With local silverware guaranteed, the Australian Open mixed doubles final will be an all-Australian affair 58 years in the making.

A local pair is guaranteed to win the crown for the first time in 12 years after Kim Birrell and John-Patrick Smith joined Olivia Gadecki and John Peers in Friday's final.

It is also the first time since 1967 that the final will be contested by two pairs of Australians.

"Wow. That's super special," Birrell said.

"It's really cool. Especially it's, I think, pretty rare for players now to play in all three (singles, doubles and mixed doubles).

"To compete together at our home slam is super cool. Had so many amazing Australian stories.

"So to contribute to that is really special."

Smith, a tour journeyman, chipped in that Friday's match will also mark his 36th birthday.

"Every year I come back and play on tour, I appreciate it more," Smith said.

"This is my 14th AO, and it makes me feel real old."

He hopes the match will be open for ground pass holders to attend - and tournament chief Craig Tiley will have a birthday cake ready.

Both pairs want become the first Australians to win the title since Matt Ebden and Jarmila Wolfe (nee Gajdosova) in 2013.

Birrell in particular will be a familiar foe.

Gadecki played in the women's doubles with Birrell this year, while Peers teamed up with her last year - though they made an early exit, which he joked was his fault.

Veteran doubles player Peers, 36, wants to add another title to his decorated doubles resume.

He won Olympic men's doubles gold with Ebden last year, the 2017 Australian Open doubles title with Henri Kontinen, the mixed doubles bronze with Barty in 2021 and the 2022 US Open mixed doubles title with Storm Sanders.

"I reached out to Liv a couple of times throughout the year and we got it set up nice and early which was good," Peers said.

"I knew going into it if we could get it rolling, we could be dangerous and so far we've been on the dangerous side which is a lot of fun.

"So one more to go and see what we can do.

"It's been great fun playing with Liv and to be able to have another opportunity to win another slam is always an honour."

The winning pair will split $175,000, while the runners-up share $97,750.

Birrell and Gadecki will both hope their doubles run can deliver a confident boost before they return to singles action.

"For sure it makes a big difference when it comes to confidence," Gadecki said.

"I've been able to get a few more matches under my belt and just be competitive and it doesn't get much better than that."