How Sinner Stunningly Tried To Play US Open Mixed Doubles With Serena Williams
NewsTuesday, 19 August 2025 at 20:57
The 2025 US Open mixed doubles would have been among the most high-profile moments of 2025 had Serena Williams been involved, something Jannik Sinner enquired about.
Sinner was initially set to play with Emma Navarro in the mixed doubles, which is scheduled for August 19th and 20th, replacing the usual format held simultaneously with the singles and other doubles events.
Navarro then withdrew from the mixed doubles and accepted a wild card into the 2025 Monterrey Open in an effort to find form for the US Open main draw after below-par performances at the 2025 Canadian Open and the 2025 Cincinnati Open.
Sinner was repaired with Katerina Siniakova, but the ATP world No. 1 then also withdrew after retiring after five games during his Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz because of an illness he had been struggling with since the previous day.
The four-time Grand Slam champion's withdrawal from the mixed doubles would have caused widespread devastation in New York had he been paired with one of the most iconic figures in tennis history.
In an appearance on the Nothing Major Podcast, Eric Butorac, director of US Open player relations, revealed that Sinner asked about the possibility of playing with Williams, but the 23-time major winner would not have been able to even if she wanted to.
"Sinner did ask if Serena would be an option, but I believe Serena is not back in the doping protocol. So, when you come back as a top player, like guys like me could probably just jump right back in, but for Serena, it's a six-month process. I think guys like Roger and Rafa are in the same situation."
Serena has not made any professional appearances since ending her legendary career at the 2022 US Open. Her older sister, Venus Williams, returning to the WTA Tour at age 45, generated speculation about Serena making a comeback, but the doping protocols make that challenging.
Even if Serena wanted to play, it is unclear whether she would have accepted playing with Sinner. The American previously said she liked Sinner but thinks she would have been treated much more harshly had she been the player involved in his high-profile doping case.
Butorac accused Sinner of lying during Nothing Major appearance
After initially being partnered with Navarro, Sinner acted surprised in interviews and said the duo had never spoken to each other, making some wonder why the organizers matched them for the new mixed doubles.
Butorac hit back in his Nothing Major Appearance. He claimed that Sinner was given a list of players who had no partner, and that the Italian chose Navarro, who accepted before making the later decision to withdraw.
"I met Sinner in Rome. He said he was interested in playing, and asked who is available. So I gave him four or five players that I knew were looking, and had reached out saying they wanted to play. Ultimately, he chose Emma, and then he went on the Tennis Channel a week later, and said the 'USTA had me play with Emma.' That's not true!"
Sinner and Navarro never felt like a pair desperate to play together, and Navarro might be happy to be in Monterrey instead.
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