Tennis stars Alcaraz and Swiatek travel to New York
The US Open Grand Slam in New York is hosting a new and exciting mixed doubles event this year, marking its first appearance. The tournament, scheduled for the 19th and 20th of August, will take place over two days during the "Fan Week" prior to the main singles draw.
In this revamped format, matches will be played as best-of-three sets, but each set is shortened to the first to four games instead of six. No-ad scoring will be employed, with the next point after deuce winning the game, and a 10-point tiebreak replacing the traditional third set. This change aims to make the matches more fast-paced and engaging.
A total of 16 teams will compete for the mixed doubles title, with half of them earning entry based on their combined singles rankings and the other half chosen by the USTA. The early rounds will use this shortened format, but the final will revert to the regular best-of-three sets to six games each, still employing a 10-point tiebreak in place of a third set.
Top players like Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek are participating in this new event. The new structure allows them to play mixed doubles without interfering with their singles preparation and rest, as the event is scheduled before the singles tournament begins. The increased prize money of one million US dollars for the winning team also adds to the event's allure.
Alcaraz is scheduled to play with Emma Raducanu at 2:00 PM local time, while Swiatek will partner with Casper Ruud at 12:00 PM. The world number one will play in the second match after 11:00 AM, partnered with Katerina Siniakova.
Unfortunately, Sinner is unlikely to play in the mixed event after retiring in the final of the Cincinnati Masters-1000 event. Zverev's participation is still unclear due to physical problems, as he had also complained of such issues in Cincinnati.
This new format and scheduling make mixed doubles more appealing for high-profile singles players, turning mixed doubles into a more prominent and star-studded event. The USTA aims to elevate mixed doubles as a marquee event by featuring top-ranked players and holding matches on the biggest courts, thereby attracting more fans and media attention.
[1] US Open Mixed Doubles Event to Feature Top Players and New Format
[2] Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek Win Cincinnati Masters-1000
[3] US Open Mixed Doubles Event to Use Shortened Sets and 10-Point Tiebreak
[4] USTA Invites Top Singles Players as Wild Cards for Mixed Doubles Event
[5] Mixed Doubles Event at US Open Grand Slam to Offer Increased Prize Money
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