US Open: Mixed Doubles Stars Duel, Revolutionary Format and Controversy.

The US Open Mixed Doubles: A Revolutionary Tournament with Top-Tier Stars

The US Open mixed doubles promises strong emotions with stellar pairings, record prizes and a touch of controversy. The tournament, which starts on Tuesday in New York, has generated more expectation than ever. What makes this event so different? Here’s everything you need to know before the action begins.

An Unusual Format

Unlike the usual mixed doubles tournaments, this one will be compressed into two days during the qualifying week. The matches will be played exclusively at Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium, the largest courts at the USTA National Tennis Center. In addition, the tournament will feature an unprecedented number of top-level singles players.

“We can play serious matches at Ashe, in front of full stadiums, and all the best players in the world are going to be playing,” commented Frances Tiafoe.
Frances Tiafoe

Stars on the Court

This year, the tournament features the most stellar field in history, with 10 Grand Slam singles champions among the 16 teams. In total, they have 54 Grand Slam titles. Seven additional players have reached a major singles final.

Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper
Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud
Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz
Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune
Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev
Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev
Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe
Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev
Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz
Katerina Siniakova and Jannik Sinner
Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton
Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori
Naomi Osaka and Gael Monfils
Caty McNally and Lorenzo Musetti

It should be noted that the pairings have undergone last-minute changes. Swiatek, Alcaraz, and Sinner competed in the Cincinnati finals on Monday, which could affect their participation in Tuesday’s tournament. Alcaraz has expressed his enthusiasm for playing alongside Raducanu.

“She is going to be the boss. I am super excited. I think it’s going to be great,” Alcaraz said.
Carlos Alcaraz

Mirra Andreeva y Daniil Medvedev partnered in mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics last summer.

Accelerated Game Format

The tournament will be played in a two-day format. Matches will be best of three sets, but each set will be won by reaching four games. In case of a tie at four games, a tiebreak will be played. The “no-advantage” system will be used in the games, which means that the team that wins the next point after a tie takes the game. If there is a tie after the second set, a 10-point tiebreak will be played instead of the decisive set. In the final, the format is again the best of three sets, with a team needing to win six games to take the set. The 10-point tiebreak is maintained in place of the third set.

“I love innovation. It’s fantastic. We’re going to go out and play and see how it works,” said Venus Williams.
Venus Williams

Millionaire Awards

The prize for the mixed doubles champions is $1 million, a significant increase over previous years. The runners-up will receive $400,000. Teams that only reach the first round will receive $20,000.

Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina won the Eisenhower Cup title at Indian Wells, California, in March.

Mixed Reactions

While players like Tiafoe, Alcaraz, and Williams see the tournament as an exciting opportunity, others, especially doubles specialists, have not received it with such enthusiasm. Katerina Siniakova, doubles champion, criticized the selection of the participants. Sam Verbeek, who won the Wimbledon title with Siniakova, expressed his disappointment with the doubles players. Kristina Mladenovic, a two-time mixed doubles champion, called it a “brilliant idea” to generate revenue and attract attention to the tournament, but considered it a “super exhibition”. Despite the differing opinions, the tournament has already generated great interest and anticipation among fans.