‘A decision made without consulting anyone…”: How 2024 US Open Mixed Doubles champions see new move to change tournament format | Tennis News
In a move, which has been criticised top doubles as well mixed doubles players across the world, the US Open will move the mixed doubles championships to a week before the main competition happens with a revamped 16-team format and a prize money of one million dollars. While the mixed doubles events were always played during the main competition in US Open and saw a 32-team draw, the US Tennis Association has decided to hold the mixed doubles competitions in a new format and new schedule. According to the US Tennis Association, the mixed doubles competition will be played on August 19 and August 20 this year. It will also be the time when the qualifying rounds for men’s and women’s singles are held with the main draw singles’ matches beginning on August 24.
“What I would say is the reason behind this is to appeal to more fans and grow the fan base around the world. 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,” Lew Sherr, executive director and CEO of the US Tennis Association, told the media.
While last year’s mixed doubles format saw a total of 32 teams, the new format will now see eight mixed doubles pairs earning direct entry via combined singles rankings and the other eight pairs being given wild card entries. All the matches except the final, will see best of three-sets played to four games with a deciding point played at deuce and tiebreakers being at 4-4 and a ten-point tie-breaker to be played if the teams are tied 1-1 rather than a third set. The final will be best-of-three sets played to six games and tie-breakers at 6-all and a 10-point match tie-breaker. Last year, US Open organisers also organised a Mixed Madness event, a four-team competition seeing the presence of singles players like Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios and Ben Shelton, and the event won Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa. The mixed doubles title in US Open was won the pair of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori and the pair has criticized the new move of US Open organisers. “Tradition and hory. Values very much underestimated in our times. In our opinion making decisions just following the logic of profit is profoundly wrong in some situations. Last year, to win the US Open together was one of the greatest moments in our careers. A decision made without consulting anyone, which we can do nothing but accept. We see it as a profound injustice that disrespects an entire category of players. Putting money above tennis is never a good idea. We hope this remains an isolated case and this type of policy will not be considered again in the future. We strongly felt the need to share our thoughts,” the pair wrote in their statement on Instagram.
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The tournament’s move to make sets to four games had drawn criticism from five-time grand slam doubles champion and former Australian Open tournament director Paul McNamee. “Sets to 4 games in a grand slam? 16 teams with 8 based on singles rankings and 8 wildcards. I’m sorry, but the US Open now will not produce a bona fide mixed doubles winner. Devalued from a grand slam title to an expo. Let’s just say I’m in shock,” McNamee wrote on X.
Former singles’ world number one Andy Roddick, though termed the move as a ‘right’ move. “The messaging from the doubles universe for a long time has been to put a microscope on our product and you’re essentially doing that but then the people who were screaming for the microscope might not get a seat at the table for that event. I have some sympathy towards the players but it’s the right move. There are going to be more eyeballs on tennis.” Roddick said on his podcast Serve with Andy Roddick.
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