Wimbledon mixed-doubles champions condemn US Open’s major change

Amid the euphoria of a Wimbledon title success, mixed doubles champions Sam Verbeek and Katerina Siniakova revealed they’re highly unlikely to be able to resume their partnership in next month’s US Open, after a change of direction by the tournament’s organisers looks likely to leave them frozen out.

In a bid to open up mixed doubles to the world’s top singles players, the US Open version will now be played over a two-day period before the remainder of the tournament gets underway. Unless the rules are tweaked between now and then, all four players from Thursday’s Wimbledon decider will miss out.

A prize of $1m is being offered to the winners in New York with just 16 pairs involved. The top eight of those will be determined by their combined singles rankings, with wildcards determining the remaining eight pairs.

“It’s a shame they decided to do it,” Siniakova told BBC Sport. “I think it’s a marketing step, but they are taking (away the) chance of doubles players.”

“As two athletes that would love to play it, it’s a shame to obviously know that we can’t,” said Dutchman Verbeek.

“I’m not going to actively root against it for it not to be a success. The positive I can think of is that there’s going to be more people that can see the top single stars earlier in the tournament when they are maybe a bit more accessible to the public.

“But as a doubles athlete, my heart is bleeding.”

Among those who will play are former US Open champion Emma Raducanu and current Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and the Italian pairing, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who are the defending US Open mixed doubles champions and the only recognised pair from the circuit to be taking part.

Reflecting on her first mixed doubles crown, the world No 1 women’s doubles player, Siniakova said: “It’s very special, it means a lot. We had a lot of fun on the court and I really enjoyed it, it was a really amazing time here.”

Together, she and Verbeeken beat Britain’s Joe Salisbury and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani in straight sets, 7-6(3), 7-6(3) in the final on Centre Court.