Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka are set to be the marquee pairing in this year’s US Open mixed doubles tournament, which will again be played under the revamped format introduced last season.
The Serbian
legend and the women’s world number one top the list of entered teams ahead of the August 17 entry deadline and are virtually guaranteed a place among the six pairs selected directly through rankings.
Star-studded entry list! 🤩
These teams have officially entered into the 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship presented by Vital Proteins. pic.twitter.com/MPKjgw74h0
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) July 27, 2026
Sinner And Alcaraz Absent
Notably missing from the entry list are men’s world number one Jannik Sinner and second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner, who also skipped last year’s mixed doubles event, is prioritising his health ahead of the US Open and has already withdrawn from the Canadian Open. Alcaraz, who partnered Emma Raducanu in 2025, is continuing his recovery from a wrist injury that forced him to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon.
Format Remains In Place
The US Open introduced major changes to mixed doubles last year in an effort to attract more elite singles players. Earlier rounds now use a shorter scoring format, and the entire tournament is staged over two days before the singles main draws begin.
The 2026 edition will start on August 25, five days before the men’s and women’s singles competitions get underway.
Italian doubles specialists Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori have entered to defend the title they won in 2025, when the champions earned a $1 million prize cheque. The pair were among the players who publicly criticised the new format when it was introduced.
US Tennis Association CEO Craig Tiley defended the tournament structure and welcomed the star-studded field.
“Anytime you can bring women and men together on the same team, you showcase tennis at its best. This is exactly what the mixed doubles championship does.”
Eight additional teams will receive wild cards, while two more pairs will qualify through an eight-team qualifying draw on August 24.
(with AFP inputs)
