Grand Slam singles titans like Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Madison Keys are set to compete for an eye-popping $1 million in the revamped mixed doubles tournament at the U.S. Open, all while chasing that coveted trophy.
In contrast, elite doubles specialists are less than enthused. Indeed, one of last year’s mixed champions, Sara Errani, expressed her displeasure in an interview with The Associated Press, calling the situation “sad” and “nonsense.” She and partner Andrea Vavassori, the reigning titleholders, remain the sole authentic doubles team vying for glory this Tuesday and Wednesday at Flushing Meadows.
Last year, the mixed doubles draw featured a mere two top-ranked singles players.
“Imagine if at the Olympics, they barred actual high jumpers from competing, opting instead to let basketball players take their place because it would be more ‘exciting.’ Sure, you can do that, but don’t give out medals,” Errani remarked. “You can’t crown a Grand Slam doubles champion while sidelining real doubles players. It’s exclusionary to their sport; it feels disingenuous.”
Who is competing in the 2025 U.S. Open mixed doubles tournament?
The top seeds, determined by their combined singles standings, include Jessica Pegula, the 2024 U.S. Open finalist, and Jack Draper, a semifinalist from last year. Draper, now on his third partner after withdrawals of Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and former No. 2 Paula Badosa due to injuries, is gearing up to face the highly anticipated pairing—notably, the five-time Slam winner Alcaraz alongside 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Other promising duos include Sinner paired with ten-time major doubles champion Katerina Siniakova, Swiatek alongside Casper Ruud, Keys with Frances Tiafoe, and an exciting team-up of Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka. Plus, Taylor Fritz will be joined by Elena Rybakina, while Naomi Osaka teams up with Gael Monfils, Novak Djokovic partners with Olga Danilovic, and Daniil Medvedev teams with Mirra Andreeva.
“This will truly be a Grand Slam event. The prize pot is fantastic,” said Fritz, who was the runner-up to Sinner in last year’s singles. “We’re fully committed to winning this.”
Tiafoe commented, “With the prize money on the line, everyone’s all in, no questions asked.”
What are the changes in mixed doubles at the U.S. Open?
What’s new? Simply put: everything! The standout prize is now a whopping $1 million, a staggering increase from last year’s shared prize of $200,000 for Errani and Vavassori.
Rule changes abound, including sets played to four games instead of six until Wednesday’s final, the use of no-Ad scoring, and match tiebreakers replacing the traditional third set. The tournament features 16 teams instead of 32, and matches have been shifted to precede the main singles event starting next Sunday. Half the entries are based on singles rankings, while the rest are selected by the U.S. Tennis Association.
This approach explains the involvement of top singles stars but has been criticized by some as somewhat absurd.
Gabriela Dabrowski, a Canadian with two major mixed doubles titles and a recent women’s doubles win at the 2023 U.S. Open, sought to partner with Felix Auger-Aliassime, yet they missed out on a USTA wild-card entry.
“Do I see this as a true mixed doubles championship? Certainly not. Could it eventually benefit the sport of doubles? Maybe, but only if genuine doubles players can participate,” Dabrowski noted.
Why are some players unhappy with the changes to U.S. Open mixed doubles?
A number of doubles players, including Errani and Dabrowski, are frustrated about being sidelined and missing out on significant earnings.
They also feel that the changes are demeaning to doubles specialists, despite the USTA’s belief that this might elevate the public’s interest in doubles.
“When the biggest names take the court in doubles, it certainly garners more interest,” said Joe Salisbury, a British player with two mixed doubles Grand Slam titles and four men’s doubles crowns. “But I’m unsure it truly benefits the doubles event because this doesn’t feel like a legitimate tournament—it’s really just a two-day exhibition.”
Tournament director Stacey Allaster has contested that notion.
“Let’s be clear: This is a Grand Slam championship, not an exhibition,” Allaster stated. “We empathize with the doubles specialists who disapprove of this change… but we believe that when fans see top-tier players competing, it will inspire them to not just attend but actively engage in tennis, ultimately enriching the sport.”
