New York, Aug 26:
The star-studded Novak Djokovic-Aryna Sabalenka partnership was knocked out of the US Open mixed doubles tournament at the opening hurdle on Tuesday, as Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova produced a stunning comeback to win 4-1, 2-4, 10-2.
The top-seeded Djokovic-Sabalenka combination started strongly and captured the opening set. But Patten and specialist doubles player Siniakova recovered immediately, levelled the contest and then dominated the deciding match tiebreak to secure a place in the quarterfinals.
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam singles champion, and four-time major champion Sabalenka had been among the biggest attractions in the revamped mixed doubles competition.
Their defeat nevertheless underlined the unpredictable nature of the format, where one poor game can quickly change the course of a match.
Djokovic and Sabalenka appeared in control after taking the first set 4-1.
But Patten and Siniakova refused to allow the high-profile pairing to dictate the contest. They responded by taking the second set 4-2 before producing a commanding performance in the match tiebreak.
The deciding breaker ended 10-2 in favour of Patten and Siniakova.
Siniakova sealed the victory with a wide ace on match point, completing one of the tournament’s most notable early upsets.
Patten acknowledged how unforgiving the format can be, saying that one poor game can effectively decide a set.
The British player also praised his partner’s performance in the decisive tiebreak, particularly her ability to close out the match against two of the sport’s biggest singles stars.