A favorite mixed doubles pair is already out of the U.S. Open.
Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka lost in the first round of the hard-court tournament’s ticketed event after a deciding set against Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten on Tuesday afternoon.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner and world No. 1 got up to a dominant 4-1 first set win, which only consists of four games in the mixed doubles event.
The pair, who debuted for the first time at the event together, went on to earn an early break in the second set. Yet Siniakova and Patten came back and won it 4-2.
The match then went into a 10-point tiebreak, and tennis fans inside Arthur Ashe didn’t get the show they wanted.
The Czech and the Brit swiftly won it, 10-2.
Siniakova and Patten will move on to face husband and wife duo Gaël Monfils and Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.
As for Djokovic and Sabalenka, they will use it as a brief tune up for the singles main draw that starts Sunday, Aug. 30.
The singles field for both the men’s and women’s is wide open heading into the year’s final Grand Slam.
For Djokovic, 39, it will be one of his best shots at winning at final Grand Slam as Jannik Sinner withdrew due to a knee injury and Carlos Alcaraz is working back for a wrist injury that sidelined him since April.
The Spainaird is always a threat, but his first compeitive reps back will be in a best of five set tournament.
Djokovic would also have to beat out Alexander Zverv, Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Rafael Jodar and recent Cincinnati winner Arthur Fils.
However, his biggest concern is likely his fitness after he collapsed in the heat in Cincinnati.
As for Sabalenka, the pressure is on to win her first Grand Slam title of the year and defend her U.S. Open trophy.
The 28-year-old hasn’t been the same since winning the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and the Miami Open) in March. She hasn’t made it to another tournament final since, and fell early at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the quarterfinals and fourth round, respectively.
Additionally, her ranking was at major risk after she suffered her worst loss of the season to unseeded 20-year-old Sara Bejlek 7-6(7), 6-4 in the Round of 16 in Cincinnati.
Elena Rybakina was two wins away from taking over until she suffered a knee injury in her quarterfinal match against Iga Swiatek.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Sabalenka is a +320 favorite for the U.S. Open title, per DraftKings.
The singles main draws will be announced Thursday.
