The best preparations in the world to sprinkle stars in the United States Open Mixed Doubles | US Open Tennis 2025

one Hours after Taylor Fritz’s third round at the Cincinnati Open, the theme of his post-match press conference changed from his tough victory against Lorenzo Sonego to the looming U.S. Open mixed doubles championship. Recognizing that mixed doubles may not be his priority in one of the world’s largest tournaments, he asked the first question. As the smile spreads on his face, Fritz quickly interrupts: “It’s a priority,” he said.

Fritz was asked if he had any sympathy for the frustrated doubles experts who were left aside to make room for the event’s turnaround. From his point of view, the right player is taking a raffle: “I’ve seen a lot of people call it an exhibition, or it doesn’t count.

After six months of anticipation, the remodeled U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship is finally here. Often, the field of doubles experts is a seldom a lot of fanfare in a mixed doubles besides the occasional superstar pairing, and in a Grand Slam it represents more trophy opportunities and wins bonuses for doubles experts.

While the event is usually held at the same time as the rest of the Grand Slam Main draw, this year will be held a week before the singles Main Draw begins. 16 teams will play the knockout matches in the knockout matches Tuesday and Wednesday. The first three rounds will be decided in the abbreviated four matches, while the final will be determined in a standard six match. The winner will bring home $1 million between them, an increase of $800,000 last year. In this era, top players largely reject doubles due to the increased physical demands of singles competitions, so the ultimate goal of the event is to attract stars.

So USTA officials already feel like the gleaming field of players and the interest they generate have proved that move justified. Partnerships between Carlos Alcaraz Emma Raducanu made countless headlines in months, but other outstanding contestants include Novak Djokovic and his fellow compatriots Olga Danilovic, Iga switek, as well as Casper Ruud and Elena Rybakina. The only team of doubles experts are defending Italian champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.

However, some aspects of this competition are not obvious at all. Men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner said he and his initial partner Emma Navarro never said that their pairing was carefully planned by the game itself. In an event that makes real sense, players will compete for the most favorable pairing.

Since the initial entry of the list, a large amount of withdrawals have been made. Navarro’s withdrawal actually led Sinner to find a better partner in 11-time Grand Slam champion Katerina Siniakova. Meanwhile, Jack Draper is now his third partner, Jessica Pegula, after his former partners Zheng Qinwen and Paula Badosa exited the U.S. Open.

Despite how much it has changed, the draw brings surreal views with so many outstanding single players present. The first two lines are particularly noteworthy: Akaraz and Rada have been attracted to top seedsDraper and Jessica Pegula, which means the British plan to fight on Tuesday afternoon.

Over the past few months, the mixed doubles of the U.S. Open have been a popular theme in the Players’ Lounge of Tournament. Madison Keys, who paired with Frances Tiafoe, said she got a random call from Tiafoe’s FaceTime and raised questions about her partnership, such as where she hopes to play. She also recalled her conversation with Sina at Wimbledon, where the Italian joked that if Rybakina stood on the opposite benchmark, he would be scared online: “I thought: ‘You all will kill us all! What are you talking about?”””

Even on the eve of the tournament, serious doubts remain around the participation of some of the most outstanding players. Alcaraz, Sinner and Swiatek all played in Cincinnati in less than 24 hours in the first round of mixed doubles in New York, meaning they will have a very short turnaround after a two-week tough two-week event. The alternatives should be ready.

The excitement of many singles players disappoints doubles experts who think they have quit the game. Before pairing with Sinner, Siniakova entered her companion with Marcelo Arévalo. Singles rankings determine the entry list, so they are not close to advancing: “When two of the worlds ranked No. 1 in the two worlds are not competing, maybe one more thing,” Siniakova said in Canal+. Ben Shelton paired with Taylor Townsend, who sympathized with the frustration of doubles.

Sheldon said: “I fully understand the honor of playing doubles mix, what doubles meant, especially for those boys and girls, and I feel they can’t play this year. At the same time, I understand the business ideas that open to the U.S. and what they are trying to do to generate more revenue, make their activities more profitable and make their interests more excited.

Pegula, a long-time member of the WTA Players Council, questioned the decision of the U.S. Open to make such a significant change in the absence of inappropriate consultations, which is a common complaint among players. She thinks that communication with the players could actually solve some of these problems: “I think that’s a really good example, and we’re like, ‘Okay, you’re just kind of rogue, changing the whole format, not telling anyone, and you just did it.” It’s kind of like: “Did you talk to the players?”

In the same breath, however, Pegula expressed excitement for future matches. This is not the decisive moment in any of these players’ careers, but they are strongly competitive creatures who step onto the tennis court every day, regardless of the format. This activity will become a priority for many people within at least 30 minutes of their lifetime. Key concluded: “I mean, there is a Grand Slam trophy online, have you seen the bonus? I’ll try hard.”