Djokovic guarda a Cincinnati per alimentare il record di 25esimo Grand Slam

Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka lead a star-studded entry list for the 2026 US Open mixed doubles championship, marking one of the most anticipated pairings in the tournament’s modern history. The Serbian legend and Belarusian world number one will compete in the event, which takes place during US Open Fan Week at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. The tournament, which will be held alongside the men’s and women’s singles events, features a mix of top-tier players and promising talents, creating a highly competitive field. The mixed doubles draw includes several high-profile combinations, such as Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori, Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev, Alexandra Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime, Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien, Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev, Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Nuno Borges, Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten, and siblings Peyton and Preston Stearns. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are also returning, having claimed last year’s title and the $1 million prize, even though they had previously criticized the format changes that favor top singles players over doubles specialists. The tournament underwent significant restructuring in 2025 to attract more elite singles players and enhance fan engagement. Changes included moving the event to Fan Week, increasing prize money, and introducing a shorter scoring format for early rounds. This year’s version adds a qualifying tournament on August 24, with two teams advancing to the main draw from an eight-team field, while eight additional teams will receive wild cards to fill the 16-team bracket. The main draw starts on August 25, just five days before the men’s and women’s singles tournaments begin. Qualifying matches and early-round play will use shortened sets, four games with no-ad scoring, tiebreaks at 4-4, and a 10-point match tiebreak instead of a third set. The championship match will revert to traditional six-game sets with a tiebreak at 6-6, maintaining the 10-point tiebreak if the teams split the first two sets. USTA CEO Craig Tiley emphasized the value of bringing men and women together on the same team, calling the event a platform to showcase tennis at its best. Meanwhile, top men’s players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are absent from the mixed doubles lineup, focusing instead on their recovery and preparation for the US Open. Sinner, fresh off his Wimbledon victory, is prioritizing his health and has withdrawn from the Canadian Open due to a demanding season. Alcaraz, who partnered with Emma Raducanu in last year’s mixed doubles, continues to recover from a wrist injury that kept him sidelined at the French Open and Wimbledon. Djokovic, meanwhile, is preparing for the Cincinnati Open, a key stop on his path toward a record 25th Grand Slam singles title. Returning to the tournament for the first time since 2023, Djokovic aims to assess his fitness and match sharpness ahead of the U.S. Open. His performance in Cincinnati will serve as a final test before the year’s final Grand Slam, which begins on August 30. Despite his age and the challenges of maintaining peak form over long stretches, Djokovic remains determined to continue his pursuit of history.