The US Open mixed doubles tournament, which begins on 25 August in New York, has attracted a notable lineup of pairings following a controversial overhaul last year. Serbia’s Djokovic, age 39, and Belarus’s Sabalenka, age 28, headline the initial wave of entries, joining other high-profile combinations including Britain’s Jack Draper with American Jessica Pegula, Poland’s Iga Swiatek alongside Norway’s Casper Ruud, Japan’s Naomi Osaka with countryman Kei Nishikori, and American Taylor Fritz partnered with Elena Rybakina.
Notably absent from the early entries are Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who is recovering from a wrist injury, and Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who opted to withdraw to prioritize his health. Three-time major champion Serena Williams, who sustained a knee injury at Wimbledon last month, has not yet entered, though organizers indicated her participation remains possible. The top six teams by combined singles ranking will receive direct acceptance into the main draw when the entry window closes on 17 August, while eight additional teams will be awarded wildcards and two more will be determined through qualifying on 24 August.
The restructured format, featuring a shortened scoring system and new scheduling before the singles draws, initially sparked criticism from doubles specialists who viewed it as diminishing their event. Italy’s Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who won last year’s inaugural revamped edition and took home a $1 million prize pot, called the changes “profoundly wrong” before ultimately triumphing in the event. Errani and Vavassori are set to defend their title, as is world doubles number one Henry Patten, partnered with Czech player Katerina Siniakova.
US Open organizers have employed substantial financial incentives to attract top-ranked players, with sources indicating appearance fees reaching $500,000 per player. Ticket pricing ranges from $39 for upper-tier seats on the first day to over $500 for courtside positions on the second day, with early sales demonstrating strong interest. While other Grand Slam tournaments have declined to adopt similar mixed doubles formats, the US Open’s strategy has generated considerable excitement and is expected to drive further revenue and attendance.
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