July 27 (Reuters) – World number one Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic headline the initial entry list for this year’s U.S. Open mixed doubles championship, organisers said on Monday, as the revamped event returns for a second edition.
Six-times Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, world number two Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori, Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, and defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are among the high-profile pairings entered into the competition.
The mixed doubles championship will again be held during the week before the singles main draw, from Aug. 24-26, after organisers overhauled the format last year to attract more top singles players by reducing the field and offering a standalone place on the calendar.
The entry window closes on Aug. 17, after which the top six teams by combined singles ranking will qualify directly for the 16-team main draw. Eight teams will receive wildcards, while the remaining two places will be decided through an eight-team qualifying draw introduced this year.
The reimagined format proved a commercial success on its debut last year, drawing sellout crowds and attracting many of the sport’s top singles players despite criticism from some doubles specialists who said it sidelined established doubles teams. Errani and Vavassori went on to retain the title by defeating Swiatek and Ruud in the final.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City)
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