The US Open Mixed Doubles Draws are running in New York on Tuesday, with star-sted pairing, record prize money and a healthy dose of controversy.
Surprisingly, what is really unusual about this phenomenon or what can we expect from it? You should know everything before the game starts.
Okay, does it make it different from a specific mixed doubles tournament in a slam?
Very little. Generally, the mixed doubles phenomenon runs concurrently with the main draw and the championship match is held during the final weekend. But this version will be condensed in two days during the qualifying week. While mixed doubles matches are often re -established in external courts, and are determined around single and doubles matches, all will be held in two largest courts at the USTA National Tennis Center at the USTA National Tennis Center at the Arthur Ash Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium.
And, in addition to a fundamentally different format (more on it), this tournament also has an unprecedented number of top-ranked single players.
A player’s doubles rankings are usually used for admission and seeding in mixed doubles phenomena, but the US is using Open singles rankings, making the entry more accessible to the most famous players. Because many top players-especially men who play the best-five sets-do not want to endanger their single run during the chairs, they often do not play mixed doubles. But a week before the main draw, a mixed doubles, this is no longer an issue. US Open semi -finalist twice Francis tiafo Told ESPN that it felt like a no-brine to play as a result.
Tiafo said earlier this month, “We play serious matches on Ash, in front of the packed Arenas, and all the best players in the world are going to play.” “It is nice to get out of there and have some fun, play some mixed couple weeks ago [the main draw starts]I am going to do media and all other kinds of goods there anyway, so I can go out of there and try to earn some extra money and maintain my light a bit. ,
So, who is playing?
However, there have been some incredible mixed doubles partnership in the past (see: Serena Williams And Andy Murray In Wimbledon in 2019), It is undeniably the most star-staded area in history. Across 16 couples, there are 10 major single champions in the draw – with a combined 54 (!) Slam title among them – and seven other players who have reached a major single final.
Eight teams were given direct entry due to their joint single rankings, and an additional eight were given wild cards. All are capable of winning the title.
Direct entry:
Jessica pegula And Jack Draper
Ega swetec And Casper Rud
Elena Ribbikina And Taylor fritz
Amanda anisimova And Holgar Roon
Belinda Bennsic And Alexander zweev
Mirra Andreva And Daniel Medvedev
Madison Keys And Francis tiafo
Karolina Muchova And Andry Rubalv
Wild Card:
Olga denylvic And Novak jokovich
Emma Redukanu And Carlos Alakraj
Caterina Siniakova And Pronounced sinner
Taylor Townsand And Ben shelton
Venus Williams And Reilly Opelka
Sara Irani And Andrea Vevasori (defending champion)
Naomi Osaka And Gayle monfills
Katy Mackelli And Lorenzo musetti
We should mention, this is the official list till Sunday night. But the couple has changed a reasonable amount in the last few days, and we would not be surprised if some additional players were withdrawn and changed to the last time. Swiatek, Alcaraz and Sinner are all playing in their respective finals in Cincinnati on Monday and may prove to be challenging for Tuesday’s incident.
Jasmine Paolini, who is playing against Swetech for the Cincinnati title, was originally partnered with Mussetti, but announced that she would not do so after making the final now. However, all the remaining players are excited about the opportunity to play with other superstars. Five -time prominent champions Alkraj, all have been vocal about their excitement to pair with Redukanu.
“She is going to be a boss,” Alakraj said during a news conference at the Queen Club in June. “I am super excited about it. I think it’s going to be great. It was a wonderful idea for the tournament.”
What is really the format?
If you are not already sold, then how unique this incident is, it will be aspect Definitely Make you believe.
With the first and second round, on Tuesday at 11 am on the ET at two-day intervals, and with the semi-finals and the finals end on Wednesday, there will be a different look in matches. Although they will be three-three sets, as the standard, a team needs to win only four games to claim the set. If both teams have won four games, the set would be a tiebreak to determine Victor. There is no benefit, so if a duce reaches the score in a game, the team that win the next point plays.
If there is a tie after the second set, there will be a 10-point tiebreak instead of a judge.
In the final, the format is again with a team for a best-three set match, which needs to win six games to close the set. A 10-point tiebreak remains in place of a third set.
While talking to reporters at the Cincinnati Open, Venus Williams said she was excited to try something new.
“I love innovation,” Williams said. “I think it’s fantastic. We are all going there and play and see how it works. I don’t have a habit of playing four games, but I am used to play games. It’s a plus.”
How much does the winning team make?
This is another dramatic difference from previous years and other slams, and perhaps there is another reason for the influx of large names in the draw. The winning pair will divide the salary of $ 1 million – an increase of $ 800,000 from 2024.
In July, the mixed doubles champion in Wimbledon created around $ 181,000 to share. The 2025 French Open Champion earned around $ 142,000 and the pair, who won in the Australian Open, took the house of about $ 114,000.
The runner -up in New York will earn $ 400,000. Teams will earn $ 20,000 to draw and lose in their initial stages. When asked by ESPN why he wanted to play at the event, Tiafo could not help, but immediately refer to the purse, before clarifying that he was joking.
“The prize money is decent, I heard,” Tiafo said with a smile.
It all looks great. How do players feel about it?
This is where things are found, well, mixed.
For large-nam players, such as Tiafo, Alakraj and Williams, this is an exciting development and a chance to do something new. For other players, experts, especially experts, do not receive it to a large extent.
Townsand and Shelton worked in the tournament in 2023 and the Townsend currently ranks number 1 doubles and mixed draws in mixed draws. But Irani and Vavasori – 2024 Champions – have been loan returning pair since last year and the only team that has played together this season. Townsend’s couple partner Caterina SiniakovaThe 10 -time leading doubles champion who is also a Wimbledon and the Olympic mixed doubles champion, which was important about the selection to play. He signed up for admission Marcello Arewalo In July. Both were the top ranked doubles players in the world at that time.
“When two world number 1s do not come in the tournament in the couple, there is nothing to say about it,” Siniakova said in an interview Translated from its original check with Canal+ in July.
Siniakova was eventually nominated with a sinner with a sinner, when Emma Navarro, her original partner, was withdrawn. But he is still one of a handful of doubles experts in the draw.
Sam Verback, who won the Wimbledon title with Siniakova in July, said in an interview Her “heart bleeding” with the BBC that couple players.
Christina mladenovicThe two -time mixed doubles champion, called it a “superb idea” in terms of making additional revenue and getting more eyes on the tournament during the qualifying week, but eventually called it “super exhibition”.
He said, “There is no problem on such an incident, but above these, don’t call it a grand slam,” he said in an interview With Eurosport.
However, it is safe to say that this tournament can already be considered somewhat successful in terms of fan interest, publicity and curiosity.
