Beyond Enthusiasm: US Open giddy for near-full top-10 presence in mixed doubles field

US Open authorities are 'very enthusiastic' about innovations for mixed doubles in the upcoming edition. The fourth Grand Slam of the year has decided to change the format, prioritizing the entry of singles players and avoiding clashes with major prize money events.

For some time now, doubles has lost relevance, and the USTA hopes to reverse this trend. Mixed doubles will be played during Fan Week, between Tuesday, August 19th, and Wednesday, August 20th, with the inclusion of big names from singles, who can team up to compete for the title and a million-dollar prize for the winner.

Back in 2024, one of the most successful Fan Week events was 'Mixed Madness' at Arthur Ashe Stadium – won by Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas – which garnered significant attention among fans and even televised broadcasts.

Changes for this year had already been announced, featuring 16 teams: eight will gain direct entry based on their combined singles ranking, and another eight through wildcards. Matches will be best-of-three sets, with each set consisting of four games and no-ad scoring. Additionally, the 'third set' will be replaced by a 10-point super tie-break.

With this, the organization seeks to boost the commercial appeal of tennis, though this comes at the expense of doubles specialists who usually feature in mixed doubles.

Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg announced on social media that the organization is already 'very excited' about the new format, as they expect to feature virtually all renowned singles players: 9 players from the WTA top-10 and all 10 players from the ATP top-10.