US Open's Mixed Doubles Tournament brings in substantial financial profits
The US Open is shaking up the traditional tennis landscape with its radical reformat of the Mixed Doubles Championship. This year's event, taking place today in New York City, combines many of the world's best singles players into teams, aiming to increase profitability and TV appeal.
The new format, however, has sparked controversy, particularly among dedicated doubles players. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, last year's mixed doubles champions and one of the few true doubles teams remaining, have publicly criticised the changes. They view the reforms as an "injustice" and "disrespect" to their category, accusing organisers of prioritising money over tennis tradition.
Key to the controversy is the condensing of the mixed doubles event into just two days during qualifying week, a shift from its traditional run concurrently with main events. This move aims to attract top singles stars who usually skip doubles to focus on singles, as player schedules and injury risk in longer formats previously deterred participation. Matches are now hosted exclusively on the two largest stadium courts (Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong), signalling a big push for high visibility and profitability.
Entry and seeding are now based on singles rankings rather than doubles rankings, allowing more well-known singles players to participate. While this increases the event’s marketability and fan excitement, it sidelines many doubles specialists, a fact not lost on Errani and Vavassori.
Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, former grand slam winners, are among the high-profile singles players participating in this year's event. They will face stiff competition from Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, as well as Jack Draper, the British No1, partnering with American Jessica Pegula.
The innovation of the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship should be commended for its freshness and star appeal. However, it's important to consider the concerns of dedicated doubles players and the potential impact on traditional tournament integrity. As the event unfolds, this ongoing tension between commercial appeal and preserving the values of specialized disciplines will undoubtedly continue to be a topic of discussion.
[1] The New York Times. (2025, August). US Open Mixed Doubles Championship: A Shift Towards Commercial Appeal or Respect for Tradition? [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/sports/tennis/us-open-mixed-doubles-controversy.html
[2] The Guardian. (2025, August). US Open Mixed Doubles Championship: A Star-Studded Event at the Expense of Doubles Specialists? [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/aug/25/us-open-mixed-doubles-controversy-star-studded-event-expense-doubles-specialists
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