The star-studded duo initially looked comfortable on the court, racing through the opening set in just 12 minutes. They maintained their momentum early in the second set with an immediate break, but the momentum shifted as Siniakova and Patten found their rhythm. Siniakova, currently ranked No. 1 in women's doubles, ultimately sealed the victory with an ace directed at Djokovic on match point.
A test against doubles specialists
Reflecting on the decisive moment, Patten noted the significance of the finish, stating that it was quite enjoyable to see his partner ace the 24-time Grand Slam champion to close out the contest. The victory allowed the pair to advance quickly, with a quarterfinal match against the husband-and-wife duo of Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils scheduled shortly after.
The mixed doubles tournament, which features a $1 million prize for the eventual winners, was restructured last year by the U.S. Tennis Association. The event now takes place over two days prior to the start of the singles main draw, utilizing a scoring format designed to ensure matches remain brief and physically manageable for top singles competitors. Sabalenka and Djokovic were the primary targets for this initiative, holding the top seed position due to their combined singles rankings.
Broader tournament results
While the top seeds exited early, other matches in the opening round saw varying results. Svitolina and Monfils secured a dominant 4-1, 4-1 victory over Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime. In another closely contested match, Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik advanced after defeating Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo with a scoreline of 4-1, 2-4 (10-7).
