The US Open’s brand new mixed doubles format is already hitting some major bumps in the road. What was supposed to be a star-studded debut is now dealing with a wave of big-name withdrawals.
When they first announced this thing, most of the top players from both the ATP and WTA tours were pretty excited to jump in. The format’s getting squeezed into August 19th and 20th during fan week, which means it won’t overlap with the main singles and doubles action.
Coco Gauff was one of the few superstars who passed from the start. The 2023 US Open champ said she had sponsor commitments lined up. Plus, she’s just too competitive – she knew she’d get way too intense in what’s supposed to be a fun exhibition.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner | 24 | 15,405 | 33 - 3 |
But now? Even players who originally signed up are backing out left and right.
Sinner loses his partner
Jannik Sinner was all set to team up with Emma Navarro. On paper, it looked perfect – her solid net game and shot variety paired with the world No. 1’s incredible baseline power.
That combo could’ve been pretty amazing to watch.
But Navarro just pulled out. Instead of playing with the defending men’s champion, she’s taking a wild card into next week’s Monterrey Open.
You can’t really blame her. Apart from winning that WTA 500 in Merida back in February, this season’s been rough for last year’s semifinalist. She just lost to Ella Seidel at Cincinnati, which had to sting.
So rather than playing what’s essentially an exhibition, Navarro’s prioritizing getting her game back on track before the year’s final Grand Slam. Smart move, honestly.
Paula Badosa and Tommy Paul also bailed on the mixed doubles. Badosa’s dealing with an ongoing injury that forced her out of the entire tournament.
Jack Draper was supposed to play with Badosa, while Jessica Pegula had partnered with Paul. Now Draper and Pegula have teamed up to stay in the event.
That leaves Sinner scrambling to find someone new. He’s got until 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 17th to figure it out.
More big names dropping out
Here’s the one that really hurts – Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov were supposed to be one of the most exciting pairs in the whole field.
Dimitrov had to withdraw from the entire US Open after getting injured in that brutal Wimbledon quarterfinal against Sinner. The Bulgarian’s still dealing with that setback.
Sabalenka could easily find a new partner. She could even team up with Sinner, which would be pretty incredible to watch.
But she’s not doing it.
The defending women’s champion said she’s staying loyal to her friend Dimitrov. No new partner, no mixed doubles for her.
Losing both Sabalenka and potentially Sinner would be a massive blow to this whole experiment. The organizers are probably sweating a bit right now.
At least they’ve still got some solid star power left. Carlos Alcaraz teaming with Emma Raducanu should draw some crowds. And Venus Williams paired with Reilly Opelka? That’s gonna be fun to watch.
The format might be losing some of its original shine, but there’s still enough talent left to make it work. Whether fans will be as excited about the watered-down field remains to be seen.
