The U.S. Open mixed doubles field’s biggest stars might be its unknowns

The U.S. Open mixed doubles field rounded into form on Monday, as the U.S. Tennis Association handed five wild-card entries to a handful of the biggest names in the sport — and the defending champions.

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who taught a roster of singles stars a lesson in doubles acumen to win $1 million last year, have been granted the golden ticket they needed to defend their title because direct entry was calculated by singles ranking. French Open champion Alexander Zverev, home favorites Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Townsend and rising star Alex Eala are all part of four more pairs granted a wild card. The full list of main-draw wild cards released Monday is:

Alex Eala and Félix Auger-Aliassime

Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe

Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev

Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori

The tournament is holding back three wild-card entries, one of which will likely go to Serena Williams and her potential partner if she decides she is fit enough to play.

Those eight pairs will join the six teams who enter the main draw directly: Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic; Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz; Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev; Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud; Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli and Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien.

The final two spots in the main draw will be occupied by the two teams that come through a qualifying competition. That competition will feature eight teams: two yet-to-be-announced wild cards and six direct entries, largely composed of doubles stars including world No. 1s Henry Patten and Kateřina Siniaková:

Kateřina Siniaková and Henry Patten

Gabriela Dabrowski and Harri Heliövaara

Luisa Stefani and Neal Skupski

Aleksandra Krunić and Mate Pavić

Jelena Ostapenko and Marcelo Arévalo

Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool

The field allows for a number of singles vs. doubles showdowns in the early rounds of the main draw, which have more teeth in the context of planned reforms to the discipline on the men’s tour. Patten has been outspoken in his criticism of plans to shrink draws and prize money, including inviting singles stars to beat doubles players at their own game. The ATP Tour said that plans to rework the men’s doubles tour remain under consideration.

The candidates for the three remaining main-draw wild cards include some of the biggest stars in tennis, some of whom have doubts about their participation. Defending men’s singles champion Carlos Alcaraz, who is still rehabbing a wrist injury, and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner are both absent. Home favorite Jessica Pegula planned to team up with Jack Draper, but the Brit is managing a chronic arm injury.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka intends to play with her countryman, Kei Nishikori. Newlyweds Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter are planning to form a team. Seven-time major singles champion Venus Williams, who could play doubles with Serena in the women’s event, was on the most recent entry list alongside the mercurial Alexander Bublik.

In some ways, the United States Tennis Association is at the mercy of the health and success of a handful of top-20 singles players, who may advance deep into the ongoing Cincinnati Open and therefore have a decision to make about playing mixed doubles qualification a matter of days after exiting — or even winning — that event.

The tournament begins Monday, Aug. 24, with the eight-team qualifying competition. The main draw will take place on Aug. 25 and 26. The Cincinnati Open women’s singles final is Saturday, Aug. 22; the men’s final is Sunday, Aug. 23.

Teams will play best-of-three sets to four games until the final, with a 10-point tiebreak instead of a third set. In the final, the sets will stretch to the regulation six games, with a 10-point tiebreak instead of a third set. No-ad scoring will be used throughout the tournament.

For now, the main intrigue is who will fill the vacant slots at what has become the cornerstone of the U.S. Open’s curtain-raiser.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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