Djokovic and Sabalenka headline U.S. Open mixed doubles field
Tennis

Djokovic and Sabalenka headline U.S. Open mixed doubles field

Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka will pair for the 2026 U.S. Open mixed doubles event. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are absent from the initial entry list.

12:08 AM

Share

The U.S. Open announced its initial entry list for the 2026 mixed doubles competition, with Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka forming the headline pairing for the two-day event scheduled to begin August 25 in New York.

Sabalenka, the women's world No. 1, and Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, will compete together in the mixed doubles format, which has become a centerpiece of negotiations between tennis stars and tournament organizers over player compensation. Sabalenka did not compete in last year's inaugural edition of the revamped event, while Djokovic previously partnered with Serbian compatriot Olga Danilović.

The initial entry list includes 16 pairs, with several notable reunions. Poland's Iga Świątek and Norway's Casper Ruud, who finished as runners-up in the 2025 edition, will team up again. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori of Italy have also entered. American Jessica Pegula and British player Jack Draper, who reached the 2025 semi-finals, plan to reunite for the competition.

Other notable pairings announced include Japan's Naomi Osaka with Kei Nishikori, American Taylor Fritz with two-time major champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, and Russian pair Mirra Andreeva with Andrey Rublev.

Several top-ranked players are absent from the initial entry list. Jannik Sinner, the Italian world No. 2, has declined to enter the mixed doubles competition. Sinner withdrew from the event at the last minute in 2025 when he was paired with Karolina Muchova. He recently opted out of the Montreal Masters 1000 event to take additional time for himself. Spain's Carlos Alcaraz is also not on the initial list. American Ben Shelton and Australian Alex de Minaur round out the top-10 players absent from the announced entries.

The entry list remains open until August 17, allowing additional players to register for the event. The mixed doubles competition will run from August 24 to 26 at the U.S. Open, which is the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the season.

Related Articles