NEW YORK — The inaugural US Open mixed doubles tournament has sparked significant controversy, with critiques surrounding everything from its structure to the participant lineup.
Featuring primarily singles players—many of whom seldom engage in doubles—it felt more like an exhibition match than a prestigious Grand Slam event, a sentiment echoed by one player on Tuesday.
This fast-paced competition, marked by shorter matches and a condensed field, already has two teams on the brink of claiming a trophy—and a whopping $1 million prize. The victors won’t hesitate to celebrate their unconventional path to victory.
“This is the official mixed doubles. If we make it to the final tomorrow, everyone will be eager to win this title,” stated Casper Ruud.
Ruud and Iga Swiatek, the No. 3 seeds, cruised through their matches to secure a spot in Wednesday’s semifinals, mirroring the success of defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, the sole traditional mixed doubles pair in the 16-team lineup.
Former US Open singles titans Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu faced swift exit, losing 4-2, 4-2 to the top-seeded duo of Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper. The second-seeded team, Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina, also fell quickly, succumbing 4-2, 4-2 to Errani and Vavassori.
Fritz, last year’s US Open men’s singles runner-up, and Rybakina, a former Wimbledon champion, epitomize the players the US Tennis Association hoped to attract with the tournament’s overhaul.
Now featuring a 16-team format over just two days, the mixed doubles tournament kicks off well in advance of the singles matches starting on Sunday, with organizers believing that singles stars would be more inclined to participate without disrupting their recovery and rest.
Critics of the changes include traditional doubles experts like Errani and Vavassori. Even Karolina Muchova dubbed the tournament an exhibition during her post-match chat after her opening victory over Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka.
The enticing $1 million prize for the winners would be a monumental benefit for doubles players, yet Errani and Vavassori remain the lone traditional pairing in the competition.
“We’re also playing for all the doubles players who couldn’t be here, striving to give it our all,” Vavassori remarked.
Initially uncertain if they’d defend their title under the new format, which allocates eight teams based on combined singles rankings and assigns wild cards by the USTA, the Italians eventually received a wild card. They showcased their prowess with a stunning first-round win that lasted just 42 minutes. The new format keeps matches brisk, knowing the winning teams face back-to-back games on day one for a shot at the semifinals and finals on Wednesday night.
Last year, when Errani and Vavassori clinched the title in Flushing Meadows, it unfolded late in the tournament amidst a backdrop of empty seats.
This year’s schedule sees mixed doubles events taking place during what was previously reserved for singles qualifying, with free admission during “fan week,” leading to packed stands at Louis Armstrong Stadium for the opening match—far exceeding the typical turnout for mixed doubles.
Some spectators might not have even realized the match was bound for a second set after Errani and Vavassori dominated the first in a mere 19 minutes. Instead of the traditional six-game sets, they simply needed to win four.
“I think some people might think they had an easier time winning the match. Stamina doesn’t play as much of a role with sets only going to four in the initial rounds, but it’s a positive change,” noted Jay Maresco from New York after witnessing the Italians’ second-round success. “It keeps the action flowing. It’s definitely advantageous for the US Open to maintain quick matches and keep fans moving in and out of Armstrong.”
The sets are played to four games with a 10-point match tiebreaker used in the first two rounds, while the finals will revert to more conventional scoring, featuring sets to six games, regular tiebreakers at 6-all, and a 10-point tiebreak for a third set.
With teams still being shuffled at the last minute, top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew on Tuesday morning after falling ill during his match against Alcaraz on Monday in Cincinnati.
