By Tennis Now Staff

(July 31, 2012) -- The ITF today announced the entry list for the Olympic mixed doubles competition that is scheduled to start on Wednesday, August 1. Thirty-five pairs from 26 countries signed up for the first Olympic mixed doubles competition as a full medal discipline since 1924, with the combined ranking cut-off for direct entry at 37.

The top seeds are Victoria Azarenka and Max Miryni of Belarus, ranked No. 1 in women’s singles and men’s doubles respectively.

The announcement ended speculation about which athletes would team up this year, which marked the discipline's return to Olympic medal competition since 1924.

Top seeds Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi of Belarus lead the 16 team field and will face Angelique Kerber and Philipp Petzschner of Germany in the first round. Team USA has two teams in the draw with No. 2 seeds Bob Bryan and Liezel Huber and Wimbledon mixed doubles champions Mike Bryan and Lisa Raymond as the No. 3 seeds.

Other notable pairings include Juan Martin Del Potro and Gisela Dulko (Argentina), Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Stosur (Australia), Andy Murray and Laura Robson (Great Britain) and Ana Ivanovic and Nenad Zimonjic (Serbia)

Though rumored for months to be participating, American Serena Williams and Venus Williams opted not to compete due to their commitment to the singles and women's doubles events and because of the compressed nature of the event as a whole.

First round action in the event will begin tomorrow. For a look at the complete draw, go here.

2012 Summer Olympics - London - Tennis - Mixed Doubles Entry list

Argentina - Gisela Dulko / Juan Martin del Potro
Australia - Samantha Stosur / Lleyton Hewitt (ITF Place)
Belarus - Victoria Azarenka / Max Mirnyi
Czech Republic - Lucie Hradecka / Radek Stepanek
Germany - Angelique Kerber / Philipp Petzschner; Sabine Lisicki / Christopher Kas
Great Britain - Laura Robson / Andy Murray (ITF Place)
India - Sania Mirza / Leander Paes
Italy - Roberta Vinci / Daniele Bracciali; Sara Errani / Andreas Seppi
Poland - Agnieszka Radwanska / Marcin Matkowski
Russia - Elena Vesnina / Mikhail Youzhny (ITF Place)
Serbia - Ana Ivanovic / Nenad Zimonjic
Sweden - Sofia Arvidsson / Robert Lindstedt (ITF Place)
USA - Lisa Raymond / Mike Bryan, Liezel Huber / Bob Bryan

Alternates

1. Spain - Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez / Marcel Granollers
2. Romania - Irina-Camelia Begu / Horia Tecau
3. Canada - Aleksandra Wozniak / Daniel Nestor
4. Poland - Klaudia Jans-Ignacik / Mariusz Fyrstenberg

(Photo Credit: London Olympics)