Staff Reporter.
The qualifiers and six of the wildcards have been announced for the revamped US Open mixed-doubles format, with two slots remaining open.
Venus Williams, fresh from last week’s comeback after a year off the circuit, has been included as part of a wildcard pairing alongside fellow American Reilly Opelka.
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz are also among the wildcard entries.
The remodelled 16-team mixed-doubles event is designed to attract the attention of fans, sponsors, television and social media.
Taking place in the Fan Week ahead of the main US Open, it has a short format and prize money lifted to $1.5 million.
Eight teams received direct entry into the field by combined singles rankings, including top-ranked Jannik Sinner of Italy – the reigning US Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open singles champion – with American Emma Navarro.
Other duos making the field on rankings included Britain’s fifth-ranked Jack Draper and Spain’s Paula Badosa, Germany’s third-ranked Alexander Zverev and Swiss Belinda Bencic, fourth-ranked American Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, Dane Holger Rune and American Amanda Anisimova, 2021 US Open winner Daniil Medvedev and fellow Russian Mirra Andreeva, Americans Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul and Poland’s Iga Swiatek and Norway’s Casper Ruud.
Other wild card entry teams include five-time Grand Slam singles champion and world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain with Britain’s Emma Raducanu, Americans Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe, world women’s doubles No 1 Taylor Townsend and fellow American Ben Shelton, Italians Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori and Serbians Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic – who has won a record 24 men’s Grand Slam singles titles.
One of the remaining slots could be on hold for Nick Kyrgios to confirm his fitness. Another slot may be kept open for women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka, who was set to be partnered with Grigor Dimitrov.