A compressed schedule in the lead-up to the US Open has created a practical dilemma for players who progress deep in Cincinnati. The expanded ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 formats mean the Cincinnati tournament can finish on a Monday, leaving little time for finalists to join mixed doubles in New York when that event begins the following Wednesday.

Carlos Alcaraz is due to play alongside Emma Raducanu in the US Open mixed doubles, while Jannik Sinner is scheduled to compete with Emma Navarro. If the Cincinnati final becomes another Alcaraz vs Sinner epic on Monday, neither player may have the appetite to appear in mixed doubles the next day in New York. Rain delays at Cincinnati would add further complication and could decide whether either of the top two men compete in the mixed event.

Iga Swiatek is also progressing in Cincinnati and could face a quick turnaround if she continues her run. Coco Gauff was among those opting against playing in the lucrative mixed doubles event as she has prioritised her preparation for the US Open singles. The two-time Grand Slam winner revealed: “For me, it was just because I know the free week of the US Open is already packed for me, for sponsor things, and it was just like a whole other thing. And I’m very competitive; if I were to lose, I would not be happy,” “So, I didn’t want to waste mental energy on that.

“Then on top of the sponsor stuff, the pre-week, and then knowing that this finished on Monday and potentially having to play on Tuesday. Well, you would have to play on a Tuesday. So I just knew it wasn’t going to work out for me, scheduling-wise.

“It’s just that I plan my sponsor weeks literally like a year out, sometimes a year and a half out. And when this whole thing was coming up, I was already booked and busy.”

Barry Fulcher, the coach referenced in recent coverage, predicted many withdrawals and questioned the event’s standing. He said: “This exhibition event will be great fun, but it is not a Grand Slam and it shouldn’t be viewed as such,” “It’s not just about the prize money and more about removing a mixed doubles Grand Slam opportunity.” “My own personal view, it is all just posturing at the moment and I will be fascinated to see how many of those 16 pairings that were announced a few weeks ago will turn up and play.” “I’d be very, very surprised if a lot of those pairs end up taking to the court and the only reason they would release that list is to get everyone talking about it.” “It’s almost like they have put their names down, but there is no obligation to play.” “For me, the best doubles pairing on that list they released is Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori and it will be interesting to see if some doubles players who end up playing if the singles players drop out.” “I’m a fan of innovation and trying to bring new things into tennis, but I don’t agree with calling it a Grand Slam event.”

The eight teams in the field of the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship via direct entry are:

Emma Navarro and Jannik Sinner

Paula Badosa and Jack Draper

Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud

Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz

Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune

Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev

Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul

Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev

In addition, six teams received wild cards into the field:

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz

Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe

Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic

Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori

Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka

Thursday’s late-afternoon match on Grandstand at the Cincinnati Open pairs two contrasting threats: Ben Shelton, riding a surge of momentum, and Jiri Lehecka, the Czech with a habit of taking down top players.

Shelton arrives in Cincinnati as the world No. 6 and on an eight-match winning streak after capturing the biggest title of his career in Toronto last week. The American has won 15 of his last 17 matches and is one victory away from reaching the quarterfinals at back-to-back Masters 1000 events for the first time in his career. The match is scheduled to begin at an estimated 4:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, August 14.

Lehecka, ranked No. 26, brings proven scalps and the capacity to unsettle higher-ranked opponents. He owns eight career wins over Top 10 players, including three this season: victories over Grigor Dimitrov in Brisbane, Carlos Alcaraz in Doha and Jack Draper at Queen’s Club. Those results underline his ability to produce high-level tennis on different surfaces and against varied styles.

The players met once earlier this year in the Stuttgart quarterfinals, where Shelton prevailed 6-4, 6-4. That match was dominated by Shelton’s serve: 18 aces to three double faults, a spotless first-serve record (28/28), and the American never faced a break point or was pushed to deuce in 10 service games.

The matchup sets up as a clash between Shelton’s serving firepower and Lehecka’s track record against elite opponents. On paper, Shelton’s recent form and serving numbers make him a formidable favourite, but Lehecka’s history of Top-10 wins this year suggests he can produce the shots and momentum swings necessary to alter the script. The outcome will likely hinge on whether Lehecka can disrupt Shelton’s serve and whether Shelton can sustain the serving level that decided their previous meeting.

Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals with a straight-sets win over Luca Nardi, producing what he called his best performance of the event so far.

The world No 2 beat the 98th-ranked Italian, a 22-year-old competing as a lucky loser, 6-1, 6-4 in the last 16 of the Masters 1000 tournament. Alcaraz broke Nardi twice to take the opening set and then recovered from 2-4 down in the second to reel off four successive games and close out the match.

Alcaraz landed 65% of his first serves, won 83% of first-serve points and 56% of second-serve points. He finished with 10 winners and 10 unforced errors. He had earlier defeated Damir Dzumhur and Hamad Medjedovic in his first two matches in Cincinnati.

“I think this match was the best so far for me in this tournament,” he said in his on-court interview. “At the beginning of the tournament, I just really wanted to get better every day, after every practice and every match.

“I think I’m doing it, which I’m really proud about. I’m just really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved.”

Asked about balancing on-court preparation with time off, Alcaraz added: “Well, I just try to take care of both things. It depends, without balance, everything is a mess.

“I think both things are really important to be fresh mentally and to come back to court with the feeling that you really want to have battles, to practice and then to get ready for the tournaments. I think a balance of both is important.”

The victory sends Alcaraz into his third quarter-final in Cincinnati, after runs to the last eight in 2022 and 2023, his best previous result being a runner-up finish in 2023. The 22-year-old has 27 wins in his last 28 matches and is on a 14-match winning streak at ATP Masters 1000 level, a run that includes his titles in Rome and Monte Carlo.

Since Masters events began in 1990, Alcaraz is only the third player to win 14 successive matches at this level before turning 23, following Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal. He will meet world No 11 Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals.