The most prestigious Mixed Doubles event in tennis starts in Paris on Tuesday, as the medals are the same for all events at the Olympics. Players might care more about Slams in singles or even regular doubles instead of mixed doubles, but an Olympic medal is an Olympic medal. Who will keep their hopes alive on the first day of play? Can Coco Gauff keep her goal of three medals intact? Will we see any other upsets? As always, we here at LWOT predict all the matches for you. We split the first round into two articles, with our other article featuring Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz vs Nadia Podoroska and Maximo Gonzalez. Predicting these matches are Ateet Shrivastava, Damian Kust, and Yesh Ginsburg. Who do you think will advance? (Note that in Olympic doubles, a third set is a match tiebreak–first team to ten points wins.)
Paris Olympics Mixed Doubles Round 1 Predictions
Gabriela Dabrowski and Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada) vs Heather Watson and Joe Salisbury (Great Britain)
Ateet:
Dabrowski is the World’s #3 ranked doubles player and has won many titles on the doubles circuit. Felix is far less experienced but his big serve will help the Canadians. Watson/Salisbury have played mixed doubles together in all the Slams this year and have immense experience in doubles. Salisbury and Watson have both won a Slam in mixed doubles and should be the favorites in this match.
Prediction: Watson and Salisbury in 2
Damian:
Watson/Salisbury have been playing with each other at the mixed doubles Slams this year and while they haven’t blown the competition away, it should give them an advantage here. Overall, if someone here will look a bit out of place on the doubles court, it might be Auger-Aliassime despite some decent success in men’s pairs events in the past.
Prediction: Watson and Salisbury in 2
Yesh:
The Brits have more experience playing together, but I’m not sure that matters. Auger-Aliassime has by far the most talent on the court of everyone here, and Dabrowski is a very accomplished doubles player in her own right. The Canadians should advance.
Prediction: Dabrowski and Auger-Aliassime in 2
Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) vs Demi Schuurs and Wesley Koolhof (Netherlands)
Ateet:
Sakkari/Tsitsipas have played together multiple times before which will come in handy in this match. Both are good on clay and reached the quarterfinals in the Tokyo Olympics. Schuurs/Koolhof are doubles specialists and Koolhof is a former world No.1.The pair from the Netherlands won both their matches at the United Cup earlier this year. This will be a close match and might go down the wire.
Prediction: Schuurs and Koolhof in 3
Damian:
This could be a bit wild, Koolhof hasn’t been at his most convincing in what is the last season of his career. Sakkari/Tsitsipas have always had a good vibe and practiced with each other a bit during United Cups. They might be able to produce the upset over two doubles veterans in questionable form.
Prediction: Sakkari and Tsitsipas in 3
Yesh:
Schuurs and Koolhof are an elite doubles team. Sakkari and Tsitsipas are elite singles players. Nine times out of ten in this sport, the singles players would win. If they were doubles players, they’d be elite too.
Prediction: Sakkari and Tsitsipas in 2
Laura Siegemund and Alexander Zverev (Germany) vs Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac (Czech Republic)
Ateet:
The German pair of Siegemund/Zverev won the United Cup this year and showed great chemistry and determination at times. They are the #1 seed and would want to get the Gold for their nation. Siniakova/Machac lost in the first round of The French Open and the Australian Open as a pair. Siniakova is a great doubles player and for them to win, Machac has to be sharp. This will be a close contest but Zverev’s serve and Siegemund’s net game make the Germans more dangerous.
Prediction: Siegemund and Zverev in 3
Damian:
It’s a shame these pairings are meeting in the opening round as both could do damage. Siniakova/Machac have that romantic dynamic and were fun to watch when they played with each other before. But Siegemund/Zverev were so deadly at the United Cup and might as well be targeting the Gold here.
Prediction: Siegemund and Zverev in 2
Yesh:
This is a great battle. The winner of this match will probably be one of the favorites for Gold moving forward. Siniakova and Machac are really good at doubles, and good together. But so are Siegemund and Zverev, and they’re better at singes overall too. That’s probably the difference.
Prediction: Siegemund and Zverev in 2
Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev (Neutral) vs Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori (Italy)
Ateet:
Andreeva/Medvedev are partnering together for the first time and it looks like an exciting pair. However, both of them have little experience of playing doubles. Errani/Vavassori have played together before and Sara Errani has been a great doubles player. Vavassori made the finals of the men’s doubles at the French Open this year. The Italian pair has a clear edge on this one.
Prediction: Errani and Vavassori in 3
Damian:
Mixed is going to be tricky to predict with most teams having barely any experience in the discipline. In most cases though, two elite doubles players should still make for a fine combination. Errani/Vavassori duo is one of the potential favorites and Medvedev could potentially find himself completely lost in the more typical doubles point play.
Prediction: Errani and Vavassori in 2
Yesh:
The Russians look like a very exciting pair at this event. They’re both good on clay, and Medvedev hits with a depth that should trouble any opponent. I just can’t see the Italians keeping up with the power of the Russians here.
Prediction: Andreeva and Medvedev in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
