The US Open’s decision to revamp its mixed doubles format has drawn heavy criticism from the tennis community, with many calling it “terrible” and “disrespectful.”
But first let us understand the four major changes that the officials announced aiming to elevate the mixed doubles event
- The tournament will now feature only 16 teams instead of 32, out of which, eight teams will qualify based on combined singles rankings, while the remaining eight will receive wildcards. The wildcards will be given out by the tournament.
- Mixed doubles competition will now be a standalone event. The matches will take place a week before the main singles and doubles draws in Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums, while the qualifying tournament will take place on the outside courts. This effectively makes the US Open a three-week event.
- The matches will be played in a "Fast Four" format, with short sets (first-to-four games with a tiebreaker at 4-4 instead of first-to-six), no-ad scoring and a 10-point tiebreaker instead of a full third set. Only the final will be played with a first-to-six format.
- The winning team will now receive $1 million, a significant jump from last year’s $200,000 top prize.
Lew Sherr, executive director and CEO of the U.S. Tennis Association, said that the goal was to increase tennis' fan base.
"But the way to do that is to have the biggest names in the sport participating in doubles, and to showcase them teaming up and playing in a different format, we think is exciting," Sherr said.
"Yes, there's some that will be disappointed that they won't have the opportunity to compete in this event. On the other side, we know that there's a huge opportunity to create more interest globally in doubles and there may be a cascading effect here, that the mixed creates a bigger spotlight on the men's and women's doubles when we get into that portion of the tournament”, she added.
Read more: Tennis, everyone: USTA CEO Lew Sherr on the new strategy for the growth of tennis
…And the controversy begins…
Despite the prize money boost, critics argue that the reduced draw size and fast-paced format diminish the prestige of mixed doubles at the Grand Slam level. Major mixed doubles champions Ellen Perez and Jan Zielinski minced no words in expressing their displeasure over the new format.
"Tell us that you think doubles players are trash, that tradition is overrated, and job opportunity is a thing of the past without actually saying it," Perez posted on X.
Former doubles world number Paul McNamee also expressed his disapproval on his social media platform X (formally twitter), He posted-
“Mixed @usopen wants eyeballs, but excluding top doubles players and playing sets to 4 makes a mockery of a Grand Slam title. I’d support the move to Fan week if they retain the same draw size & format. If you start devaluing a Slam, where does the slippery slope end? Rethink pls
Defending US Open mixed doubles champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori too strongly shared their opinion on Instagram. The Italian duo wrote in an Instagram post that the decision to replace the traditional tournament with a "pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show" was a "profound injustice" that disrespected "an entire category of players."
What does past tell us?
Mixed doubles have often been overlooked at Grand Slams, usually played on smaller courts with few big-name players to draw attention. However, when star players participate, fan interest is clearly visible.
At the 2023 US Open, crowds packed Court 11 to watch the popular couple Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa. Similarly, a vociferous crowd gathered when Andy Murray and Serena Williams teamed up at Wimbledon 2019.
Most top players focus on singles or doubles, as competing in all three events is physically demanding. Withdrawals are also common when singles players advance deep into the tournament, as seen many times in the past.
With the US Open’s new format, mixed doubles withdrawals could be reduced. Since the event will now take place before the main singles and doubles draws, players won’t have to juggle multiple competitions at once.
Whether these changes sit well with pundits, players, and spectators—only time will tell.
