Jannik Sinner and Emma Navarro have loads in widespread. Each are extremely profitable tennis gamers of their early 20s, each have had deep runs at Wimbledon however need extra, and each have centered virtually all their tennis vitality thus far on singles.
On the US Open in August, they may play doubles collectively. On Friday, they spoke for the very first time of their lives.
“It was very surprising to be trustworthy,” Italian world primary Sinner informed reporters on the All England Membership, when requested concerning the partnership. “I simply met her on Friday for the primary time. We might by no means talked or texted one another.”
This 12 months’s US Open blended doubles is being held as a standalone occasion on 19-20 August earlier than the hard-court Grand Slam begins on 24 August, a transfer by the USA Tennis Affiliation which mentioned it hoped would entice extra high-profile singles gamers.
Sinner and Navarro are certainly one of a number of eye-catching pairings who’ve been put collectively for the event the place British primary Emma Raducanu and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz are additionally because of be a part of forces.
The overall presumption in doubles is that the higher you recognize an individual, the higher you play collectively.
However Sinner and Navarro can take confidence from the examples of surprising pairings happening to win slams.
As an illustration Heather Watson and Henri Kontinen received the 2016 Wimbledon blended doubles title regardless of by no means taking part in collectively earlier than the event and colliding with one another a number of occasions through the remaining.
“The event form of needed us to play collectively as a result of sure groups had been already arrange,” Sinner defined at Wimbledon, the place he faces fellow Italian Luca Nardi within the first spherical on Tuesday.
“The selection was not massive however I am very completely satisfied to play with Emma. I informed her already to not get pissed off with me for my not-very-good volleys.”
He then joked: “I hope [we meet up] earlier than the primary time we stroll out on court docket.”
