A first-round defeat at the United States Open is an opportunity lost. But for Andrei Daescu, losing on Wednesday meant he would gain a wife on Saturday.
Daescu and his Romanian compatriot Anda Perianu fell in the first round of mixed doubles to Anastasia Rodionova and the 2012 Olympic gold medalist Max Mirnyi, 6-2, 6-4.
Daescu, who works as an instructor at a club in Jupiter, Fla., had not competed on the tour level in more than two years because of persistent shoulder problems. He earned a berth at the Open, his first Grand Slam event, by reeling off nine straight wins in the open-to-all-comers national tournament that awards a wild-card entry to one mixed doubles pair.