The US Open’s new $1million mixed doubles tournament has been handed its latest blow after world No 1 Jannik Sinner dramatically pulled out just hours before his first match.
Sinner was playing against Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Open final on Monday night, but retired with an unspecified illness at 5-0 down in the first set.
And he has now opted against playing in the new big-money tournament, which he was due to compete in alongside Katerina Siniakova in just a few hours’ time.
US Open officials have now been left scrambling to find a replacement, with Alexander Zverez and Belinda Bencic currently without an opponent in the first round.
Sinner’s decision to withdraw is just the latest blow for the crisis-hit tournament ahead of its debut, after it was plagued by partner-swapping and pull-outs.
The female world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is also out of the mixed doubles, while Zverev – Sinner’s previous round 1 opponent – has been struggling with illness himself.
Jannik Sinner has pulled out of the US Open mixed doubles after suffering with an illness
Aryna Sabalenka – the female world No 1 – also pulled out of the lucrative new tournament
Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas broke up both off and on the court in yet another blow
The USTA were also left frustrated by the withdrawals of two big American names in Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul.
Meanwhile, Jack Draper – who is now paired with Jessica Pegula as a No 1 seed – has endured a rough build-up with various partner swaps.
He was initially paired with Chinese gold medal winner Qinwen Zheng, who then pulled out after having elbow surgery.
At the same time the event lost one of its most bankable pairings – and the winners of the Mixed Madness event which was a precursor last year – when tennis it-couple Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas split up, and therefore opted against playing with each other on court.
Draper then paired with Badosa, before the Spaniard pulled out with a back injury, leaving the Brit to land with Pegula.
