By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday, February 11, 2025
This year's US Open mixed doubles competition will take place during qualifying week and feature many top singles stars.
Photo Source: USTA
The US Open has put its Mixed Doubles competition into a blender, and here’s what came out: A revamped event that will take place during qualifying week over two days, inside the tournament’s two biggest stadiums.
And you know what? It’s worth big bucks: The prize for the winning pair will rise from $200,000 in 2024 to $1,000,000. The prize money, and new rules which feature entry based on singles ranking and eight wild cards into the main draw, are an attempt to lure top singles players.
And the event will get major exposure from the tournament’s broadcast partner ESPN:
Semifinals and Finals will air live on ESPN2 in primetime. The first and second rounds will be across ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPN+.
But not everybody is happy about the changes, and there are good reasons for that, especially from the perspective of doubles players.
Some are immediately crying foul. Like former World No.1 Paul McNamee: “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 exo. Let’s just say I’m in shock,” he wrote on X.
Here’s some more details on how the new event will look:
A player field featuring 16 teams (half of the typical 32) with eight teams earning direct entry based on their combined singles ranking and eight wild-card entries.
Best-of-three-set matches with short sets to four games, no-ad scoring, tiebreakers at four-all and a 10-point match tiebreak in lieu of a third set.
The final will be a best-of-three set match to six games, featuring no-ad scoring, with tiebreakers at six-all and a 10-point match tiebreaker in lieu of a third set.
All matches played in Arthur Ashe Stadium or Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Fans are reacting on social media, and McNamee isn’t the only doubles legend that has come out with negative criticism. American Rajeev Ram, says it the event ignores the best doubles players in the world by placing emphasis on singles ranking:
“I feel like the idea that there is no way to enter a doubles tournament with your doubles ranking excludes the best players in the world in that competition,” he told the Athletic. “So ultimately you’re not getting the best product out there possible.”
The changes are clearly an attempt to lure top singles players into the mixed. There have been numerous iconic moments of top players joining on the mixed doubles court, such as Andy Murray and Serena Williams pairing at Wimbledon in 2019. And then there was the selfie seen round the world, when Serena Williams and Roger Federer went head to head in Hopman Cup in 2019. The power of those moments is undeniable, and the US Open clearly wants to tap in.
Adding starpower at the cost of subtracting doubles acumen is a small price to play for them.
Here’s what the US Open’s CEO Lew Sherr says of the massive changes to mixed doubles in Flushing Meadows:
“By giving the competition its own spotlight we’re elevating mixed doubles to put an even greater focus on the incredible talent we have across the sport. We’re working closely with top players, many of whom are eager to be part of this historic change.”
Some of the players already appear to be on board, including last year’s singles runnerups Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz.
“As a player who enjoys competing in doubles, I'm excited for the opportunity to play the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship during the first week. I appreciate the importance of innovation and exploring new ways to engage more fans and grow our sport.” said Pegula, a former World No.1 in doubles.
Fritz added, “Mixed doubles is always a great challenge, and I’ve had some amazing experiences with it over the years, from the Olympics to the United Cup, and even the USO Mixed Madness last year. I’m definitely looking forward to the chance to compete for a Grand Slam title in the future."