Top-seeded pair Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka saw their U.S. Open mixed doubles campaign come to an abrupt end on Tuesday after Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova claimed a 4-1, 2-4, 10-2 victory in their opening-round clash.
The high-profile duo started brightly, with Djokovic, the winner of 24 Grand Slam singles titlesand four-time major champion Sabalenka taking the first set. However, Patten and doubles star Siniakova turned the match around by levelling the contest before running away with the match tiebreak to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Siniakova put the finishing touch on the victory with a wide ace on match point, completing a memorable win over one of the tournament’s biggest attractions.
Patten talked about how the format can tend to be a bit tough as one bad game could mean curtains for the players.
“It wasn’t looking very good for a while, in this format we play one bad game and all of a sudden the first set’s gone,” Patten said.
“We knew the same could happen in the second, and we played an amazing tiebreak. Kat acing Novak on match point was great.”
The mixed doubles event is being held before the start of the singles main draw for a second straight year following a major overhaul of the competition. Organisers introduced the standalone slot and a smaller draw last year in an effort to encourage greater participation from elite singles players.
The changes delivered strong commercial results in their first year, with packed stands and several leading singles stars entering the competition. However, the format also drew criticism from sections of the doubles community, who felt it reduced opportunities for established doubles teams.
Italy’s Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori were the defending champions after successfully retaining their crown last year with a final victory over Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud.
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