Tennis Round-Up: Withdrawals Shadow Majors Build-Up as Sabalenka and Djokovic Confirm Mixed Doubles Partnership
Withdrawals and Partnership Announcements
The build-up to the US Open has been marked by significant player withdrawals, with Britain's Jack Draper becoming the latest casualty due to injury on the eve of another tournament. Compounding concerns, both Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner have withdrawn from the Montreal Masters, prompting calls for changes within the tour. Despite this, Djokovic will feature at Flushing Meadows alongside Aryna Sabalenka in the mixed doubles competition, with both players seeded at the top of that draw.
Sabalenka and Sinner headline the overall US Open fields as the year's final major approaches. Meanwhile, Alex Eala continues to make headlines following her impressive Wimbledon run, which sparked widespread tennis interest among everyday Filipinos and set the stage for her US Open campaign. Britain's Cameron Jones delivered a brighter domestic note by successfully defending his Challenger title in Palermo.
Off-court developments are reshaping professional tennis. The French Open has become the first Grand Slam to offer players a share of tournament revenue, marking a significant shift in prize distribution. Additionally, the WTA has announced mandatory gene testing for all players on tour, signalling a broader approach to player management and competitive integrity across women's professional tennis.
Today's tennis headlines
- Injured Draper withdraws on eve of another tournament — feeds.bbci.co.uk
- Sabalenka & Djokovic to team up in US Open mixed doubles — feeds.bbci.co.uk
- Sabalenka, Djokovic top US Open mixed doubles — espn.com
- Explained: The road Alex Eala must navigate before the U.S. Open — espn.com
- Britain's Jones defends Challenger title in Palermo — feeds.bbci.co.uk
- Smash hit: How Alex Eala's Wimbledon run made everyday Filipinos fall in love with tennis — feeds.bbci.co.uk
- Sinner, Djokovic out of Montreal Masters tourney — espn.com
- Changes called for as Sinner and Djokovic withdraw from Canadian Open — feeds.bbci.co.uk
- Sabalenka, Sinner headline 2026 US Open fields — espn.com
- The Dink review – Jake Johnson’s pickleball comedy serves up engagingly silly laughs — theguardian.com
- French Open becomes first grand slam to offer players share of tournament revenue — theguardian.com
- WTA starting gene testing for all players on tour — espn.com