Following his momentous victory at Wimbledon, Jannik Sinner received a light-hearted yet pointed critique from his mixed doubles partner, Emma Navarro. In a playful twist during a viral video shared by the US Open, Navarro congratulated Sinner and humorously questioned his performance at the net. “I’m getting worried because I didn’t see much net play [at Wimbledon],” she said. “You hit a tweener, which was cool… but you missed the overhead! I need you to step up your game to match my level.”
The duo’s partnership was initially unexpected; they met just days before the tournament began, with Sinner admitting there had been no prior communication between them. He expressed that their pairing was organized on short notice as many other teams were already established.
Despite their lack of familiarity, Navarro showcased her playful wit, stating, “He begged me to play. I said, ‘You’re not the best, but I’ll make an exception.’” Their pairing is part of the revamped mixed doubles event at the US Open, which features a 16-team competition during Fan Week (August 19-20), with modified scoring rules and a substantial prize pool of $1 million.
While Navarro’s teasing about Sinner’s net play was light-hearted, it highlighted some genuine areas for improvement. Sinner struggled at the net during his Wimbledon matches, winning only 58% of his net points. In contrast, Navarro brought agile doubles skills to the court. Their partnership symbolizes the US Open’s spirit of blending top singles players in new contexts, with Sinner himself sharing, “The best players in doubles? Always fun to watch.”
This mixed doubles event promises excitement as it gathers elite tennis talent to compete in a fresh format. The interaction between Sinner and Navarro adds a touch of humor and camaraderie to a highly competitive environment, reminding fans that even the top players have room for growth and development in their games.