Champ defending title holders, Trump singles players, show early dominance in US Open mixed doubles competition
Revamped U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Tournament Thrills Fans
The 2022 U.S. Open has introduced a fresh twist to its mixed doubles tournament, with a new, condensed format that has drawn crowds and generated excitement. The reimagined event, held during the "Fan Week" before the main tournament, saw 16 pairs competing in best-of-three sets, each set played to 4 games, and a 10-point tie-break replacing a full third set [1][2].
The motivation behind this change was to elevate the profile and popularity of mixed doubles. Organisers aimed to create a more spectator-friendly, fast-paced event that could draw new fans and provide greater visibility and prize incentives for doubles players. Traditional mixed doubles often suffered from low viewership and lower prize money, but this innovative format seeks to revolutionise the game by making matches shorter and more engaging [1][2][3].
The new format has been successful in attracting big crowds, with fans thrilled to see combinations of top men’s and women’s stars compete directly. Notable pairs that advanced to the semi-finals include Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison, and the Italians Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani [1][3][4].
Vavassori and Errani reached the semi-finals after defeating Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz 4-2 4-2, and Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev 4-1 5-4(4) in the quarter-finals [1]. Pegula and Draper advanced with a win over Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu in the last 16 [1].
The Italians will face Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison, while Swiatek and Ruud will square off against Pegula and Draper in the semi-finals [1]. The semi-finals and final of the tournament are set for Wednesday [1].
The tournament's new format also saw eight pairings based on combined singles rankings and eight wild cards, with Vavassori and Errani earning wild card entries [1]. Jannik Sinner, the world number one, withdrew from the tournament due to illness [1].
Krystyna Zaluski, a spectator at the tournament, attended the U.S. Open's mixed doubles event for the first time with her 13-year-old son [1]. Iga Swiatek mentioned that she didn't have much time to practice doubles before the tournament [1].
The U.S. Open's "fan week" began a day after the Cincinnati Open concluded [1]. Spectators waited long into the first round to enter the Flushing Meadows grounds [1]. The U.S. Open's mixed doubles event moved to five days before the main draw this year [1].
[1] Source: Tennis.com [2] Source: ESPN [3] Source: BBC Sport [4] Source: The New York Times
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