NEW YORK: Former world number one Novak Djokovic and four-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka were sent tumbling out of the US Open’s mixed doubles tournament on Tuesday by Czech Katerina Siniakova and Britain’s Henry Patten.
Doubles specialists Siniakova and Patten recovered from dropping the opening set to win 1-4, 4-2 before cruising to a 10-2 win in the decisive third set tie-break.
Serbian great Djokovic and Belarus star Sabalenka represented a heavyweight mixed doubles union at the Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows.
But despite taking the first set, the duo were unable to respond when Siniakova and Patten — ranked No.1 in the world in women’s and men’s doubles — improved in the second set.
The US Open holds its mixed doubles event in the days before the main draw of the singles championship, which gets under way on Sunday.
Meanwhile, former US Open champion Stan Wawrinka bid an emotional farewell to Flushing Meadows after being denied a wildcard into the main draw, ending hopes of a final appearance at the year’s last Grand Slam in what he has said will be his final season.
The Swiss veteran competed at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon this year on wildcards but will miss the US Open, where he won the title in 2016, depriving him of a farewell appearance at the year’s final major.
The 41-year-old three-times Grand Slam champion was not among the final wildcards announced over the weekend and will also not compete in this week’s qualifying tournament.
“This city challenged me. It pushed me. It brought something out of me that few places ever could,” Wawrinka wrote on Instagram.
“I experienced some of the strongest emotions of my career here. Winning the US Open in the city that never sleeps will forever be one of the greatest moments of my life.”
Monfils, who has also said he will retire at the end of the season, received a reciprocal wild card, which are granted by the national federations. The former world number six is ranked 307th, compared with Wawrinka at 127.
On the women’s side, twice US Open champion Venus Williams was awarded a wild card for this year’s tournament.
