Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka headline US Open mixed doubles
Serbian Novak Djokovic (age 39) and Belarusian world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka are the marquee pairing in the 2026 US Open mixed‑doubles championship. The event will run over two days (Aug 24‑26) as part of Fan Week, ahead of the singles draws. Sixteen teams will compete: the six duos with the best combined singles rankings as of the Aug 17 entry deadline earn direct entry, eight receive USTA wild‑cards, and the remaining two spots are decided in an eight‑team qualifying draw on Aug 24. The format uses best‑of‑three‑set matches, with early‑round sets played to four games, a tiebreak at 4‑all and a 10‑point match‑tiebreak; the final will be scored to six games with a standard tiebreak. Winners will share a US$1 million prize. USTA CEO Craig Tiley said the mixed‑doubles championship “showcases tennis at its best” and is intended to attract new fans. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are back, and other high‑profile pairings include Iga Świątek/Casper Ruud, Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz, Naomi Osaka/Kei Nishikori and Jack Draper/Jessica Pegula. Men’s stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are absent, the former citing health priorities and the latter recovering from a wrist injury.
Entities: Andrea Vavassori · Aryna Sabalenka · Craig Tiley · Novak Djokovic · Sara Errani · U.S. Tennis Association (USTA)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Jannik Sinner is currently world No. 1 on the ATP rankings. (source)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Carlos Alcaraz is ranked No. 3 on the ATP rankings. (source)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Daniil Medvedev moved up to No. 7 on the ATP rankings. (source)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Alexander Zverev holds the No. 2 spot on the ATP rankings. (source)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Felix Auger‑Aliassime is ranked No. 4 on the ATP rankings. (source)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Ben Shelton fell to No. 8 on the ATP rankings. (source)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Alex de Minaur dropped to No. 6 on the ATP rankings. (source)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Novak Djokovic moved up two positions to rank No. 5 on the ATP rankings with 3,760 points. (source)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic are guaranteed entry into the US Open mixed doubles championship.
- [● 6 SOURCES] The mixed‑doubles champions will receive a $1 million prize fund. (supported)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Eight mixed‑doubles teams will receive wild‑card entries, and two more will qualify via a tournament on August 24.
- [● 2 SOURCES] USTA CEO Craig Tiley said the mixed‑doubles event showcases tennis at its best and aims to engage new audiences.