Sinner Withdraws from U.S. Open Mixed Doubles After Cincinnati Illness
Big news has come out of the tennis world this week. Jannik Sinner, currently the men’s world No. 1 in singles, has had to withdraw from the U.S. Open mixed doubles event, which kicks off today in New York. This decision comes after a tough end to his Cincinnati Open campaign, where he was forced to retire from the final against Carlos Alcaraz due to illness, just five games into the match. The retirement also ended Sinner’s impressive 26-match hard-court winning streak and denied him a chance to claim back-to-back Cincinnati titles.
Originally, Sinner was set to partner with Kateřina Siniaková, arguably one of the greatest active doubles players in the world. Siniaková, an 11-time Grand Slam doubles champion and gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, would have formed a fascinating blend of top-tier singles and doubles talent. Unfortunately, with Sinner’s last-minute withdrawal, that partnership never got off the ground. The U.S. Open organizers quickly updated the draw, replacing Sinner and Siniaková with a “Qualifier / Qualifier” slot, which was eventually filled by Americans Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison as the first alternates based on their singles rankings.
Also Read:- Pep Guardiola Blocks Savinho’s Move to Tottenham
- Rangers Urged to “Play with Joy” Ahead of Crucial Champions League Clash
Other stars in the revamped mixed doubles event include Carlos Alcaraz partnering with Emma Raducanu, and Iga Świątek teaming up with Norway’s Casper Ruud. The tournament has been given a fresh format, featuring two-day play with short sets, a lineup of singles stars, and a $1 million prize, which has already generated significant buzz.
Sinner had originally been paired with Emma Navarro in mixed doubles, but she withdrew to gain match play at the Monterrey Open. Sinner later expressed that his Cincinnati illness made it almost inevitable that he would step back from mixed doubles, leaving him time to focus on the U.S. Open singles. He admitted that his partnership decisions had been unexpected and very last-minute, highlighting the unpredictability of these mixed doubles events.
Alcaraz’s victory in Cincinnati marked his first title at that tournament and his sixth ATP title of the year, helping him close in on Sinner at the top of the rankings. Though Alcaraz celebrated the win, he acknowledged the unusual circumstances, noting that victories are never as sweet when an opponent retires due to illness. On the women’s side, Iga Świątek claimed her first Cincinnati title by defeating Jasmine Paolini in straight sets, extending her unbeaten record against Paolini and maintaining her excellent form ahead of the U.S. Open.
So, while the mixed doubles field at the U.S. Open lost one of its most intriguing pairings before the event even began, the stage is still set for an exciting and unpredictable competition. Fans will now watch closely to see how these newly shuffled partnerships perform, and, of course, all eyes remain on Sinner as he recovers and refocuses on his singles campaign.
Would you like me to create a spoken-style version you could read aloud for a video or podcast?
Read More:
0 Comments