US Open mixed doubles: Everything to know
With starred chords, cash record prices and a good dose of controversy, the draw for the US Open Mixed Double begins in New York on Tuesday with more fanfare than ever.
Wondering what is exactly so unusual in this event or what we can expect? Here is everything you need to know before the start of the game.
Ok, so what makes it different from a typical mixed double tournament in a slam?
Not bad. Normally, the double mixed event takes place simultaneously with the main draw and the championship match takes place during the last weekend. But this edition will be condensed in two days during the qualification week. While double mixed matches are often relegated to outside and planned around single and double matches, they will be held exclusively at the Arthur Ashe stadium and at the Louis Armstrong stadium, the two largest courses of the USTA national tennis center.
And, in addition to a radically different format (more on this subject below), this tournament also has an unprecedented number of players of best classified singles.
Usually, the player’s doubles of a player is used for entry and sowing in mixed double events, but the US Open uses single classifications, which makes entry more accessible to the best known players. Because many best players – especially men, who play the best sets – do not want to compromise their races in single during the majors, they often do not play mixed doubles. But holding mixed doubles the week before the draw, it’s no longer a problem. The semi-finalist US Open US Frances Tiafoe told ESPN that it was obvious to play accordingly.
“We can play serious matches on Ashe, in front of wrapped arenas, and all the best players in the world will play,” said Tiafoe earlier this month. “It’s good to go out and have fun, play mixed doubles the previous week [the main draw starts]. I’m going to be there to make media and all other types of things anyway, so as well go there and try to earn additional money and keep my lights a little. “”
So who plays?
Although there have been incredible mixed double mixed partnerships (see Serena Williams and Andy Murray in Wimbledon in 2019), this is undoubtedly the most starry domain in history. Through the 16 pairs, there are 10 main champions in single in the draw – with 54 titles combined (!) Slam between them – and seven other players who have reached a major final in simple.
Eight teams received direct entry due to their simple combined rankings, and eight others received jokers. All are able to win the title.
Direct entry:
Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper
Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud
Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz
Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune
Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev
Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev
Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe
Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev
Wild Cards:
Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz
Katerina Siniakova and Jannik Sinner
Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton
Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori (reigning champions)
Naomi Osaka and Gael Monfils
Caty McNally and Lorenzo Musetti
We have to mention, this is the official list of Sunday evening. But the pairs have changed a lot in the past few days, and we would not be surprised if some additional players withdraw and were replaced at the last minute. Swiatek, Alcaraz and Sinner all play on Monday in their respective finals in Cincinnati and that could be difficult for the Tuesday event.
Jasmine Paolini, who will play against Swiatek for the title of Cincinnati, was originally to be associated with Musetti, but announced that she would no longer do it after doing the final. Nevertheless, all remaining players are delighted with the opportunity to play alongside other superstars. Alcaraz, five -time major champion, was vocal all summer on his enthusiasm to associate with Raducanu.
“She’s going to be the boss,” Alcaraz said at a press conference at the Queen’s Club in June. “I’m super excited about it. I think it’s going to be great. It was an incredible idea for the tournament.”
What exactly is the format?
If you have not already been sold how unique this event is, this aspect certainly convince you.
Held in a period of two days considerably shortened, from Tuesday at 11 a.m. HE with the first and second round, and concluding Wednesday with the semi-finals and the last, even the matches themselves will have a different look. Although they are the best of the three sets, as it is standard, a team must win only four games to claim the whole. If the two teams have won four games, there will be an equal break in determining the Set Victor. There is also a score without advantage, so if a score is reached in a match, the team that wins the following point takes the match.
If there is a link after the second set, there will be a 10 -point equal break instead of a decision maker.
In the final, the format returns to a set match at the best of three, with a team that must win six games to win the set. An equal break in 10 points remains in the place of a third set.
Speaking to the journalists of the Cincinnati Open, who came with Williams said she was delighted to try something new.
“I love innovation,” said Williams. “I think it’s fantastic. We’re all going to go out and play and see how it works. I’m not used to playing four games, but I’m used to playing games. It’s a plus.”
How much will the winning team make?
This is another dramatic difference compared to previous years and other Slams, and perhaps another reason for the influx of big names in the draw. The winning pair will divide a pay check of $ 1 million – an increase of $ 800,000 compared to 2024.
The mixed double champions in Wimbledon in July won around $ 181,000 to share. The Champions of the 2025 France Open earned around $ 142,000 and the winner duo of Australian Open won about $ 114,000.
The finalists in New York will earn $ 400,000. The teams will win $ 20,000 simply to make the draw and lose in their opening match. When he was asked by ESPN why he wanted to play in the event, Tiafoe could not help immediately reference the bag, before clarifying that he joked.
“The price is decent, I heard,” said Tiafoe with a smile.
It all seems great. How do players feel about it?
This is where things will, finally, mixed.
For great players, like Tiafoe, Alcaraz and Williams, it is an exciting development and a chance to do something new. For other players, in particular double specialists, it is not quite as well received.
Townsend and Shelton joined forces with the tournament in 2023 and Townsend currently holds the classification in double n ° 1 and is a frequent element of mixed prints. But Errani and Vavassori – the Champions of 2024 – are the pair of solitary return from last year and the only team that played together this season. Towsend’s double partner Katerina Siniakova, a double champion in doubles at 10 times who is also the title champion of Wimbledon and Olympic in mixed double, had been essential to the selection of Who manages to play. She signed up at the entrance with Marcelo Arevalo in July. The two were the best classified double players in the world at the time.
“When two world n ° 1 in doubles do not enter the tournament, there is probably nothing to say,” said Siniakova in an interview with his native Czech with Canal + in July.
Siniakova was finally appointed alongside Sinner Sunday after Emma Navarro, her original partner, withdrew. But it is always one of the handles of specialists in doubles in the draw.
Sam Verbeek, who won the Wimbledon title with Siniakova in July, said in an interview with the BBC that his “bleeding heart” for double players.
Kristina Mladenovic, twice champion of mixed double, called this a “brilliant idea” in terms of additional income and more eyes on the tournament during the qualification week, but finally called it a “super exhibition”.
“There is no problem organizing such an event, but above all, do not call it a big slam,” she added in an interview with Eurosport.
But, it is sure to say that this tournament can already be considered somewhat successful in terms of interest, media threshing and curiosity.
