Aussie tennis fave blasts 'trash' move as US Open makes savage $1.6m change
Last year, Italian duo Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori took home $200,000 ($A320,000) for winning the grand slam. However, in a huge bonus the 2025 winners will pocket $1 million ($A1.6m) in a big incentive for players to compete.
In an attempt to shine more attention on mixed doubles, the competition will now take place during the fan week and each match will be shortened. The match will remain best of three sets, but only played to four games. The third set will be a super tiebreak.
And in a highly-controversial decision the draw will now feature 16 pairs, which is half that of 2024. Eight pairs will earn direct entry via their combined singles ranking, while the other eight will be wildcard entries. This suggests the US Open wants to draw in higher-ranked singles players to compete in the tournament.
Higher-ranked singles players would be more likely to enter, a week before their singles draw starts, because of the boosted prize money. This would allow them to focus on their singles draw without a clash of commitments.
While the move might appeal to fans and higher-ranked players, the tennis community has been left fuming at the decision. The appeal for singles players to compete in mixed doubles, with less pairs eligible, would mean lower ranked players won't get a chance to enter.
Many of the lower ranked players outside the top 50 rely on money from doubles and mixed doubles to survive throughout the year. With less teams and more singles players competing, lower-ranked players will be excluded altogether. Grand slam tournaments offer the biggest prize money for players and this will be seen as a blow for mixed doubles specialists.
Aussie star John Peers recently won the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Olivia Gadecki. He also won the US Open mixed doubles title in 2022 with Storm Hunter. Peers could be one of the favourites to win the mixed doubles and take home career-changing prize money. However, his entry into the US Open is unclear with the new format prioritising singles players and wildcards.
Another player who has been left dumbfounded at the announcement is Aussie mixed doubles player Perez. The Aussie is World No.9 in doubles, but currently unranked in singles. And the 29-year-old joined the chorus of players unleashing on the rule changes having suggested the US Open has disrespected the tradition of tennis.
Tell us that you think doubles players are trash, that tradition is overrated and job opportunity is a thing of the past without actually saying it. 🤡👏 https://t.co/xxWeH5e9FD
— Ellen Perez (@EllenPerez95) February 11, 2025
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori comment the decision made by the US Open about the mixed doubles pic.twitter.com/BdEfUAHOfC
— Mario Boccardi (@marioboc17) February 11, 2025
Terrible decision not to let the doubles Players play the mixed doubles at the @usopen 👎 https://t.co/CsW2twnboB
— EdouardRogerVasselin (@ERogerVasselin) February 11, 2025
No communication with the players, no thought behind what it means to some peoples careers, no respect to the history and traditions. Sad to see. 🎪 https://t.co/tnWy9hqFry
— Jan Zielinski (@zielaczekk) February 11, 2025
Sets to 4 games in a Grand Slam? 16 teams with 8 based on singles rankings and 8 wildcards. I'm sorry, but the US Open now will not produce a bona fide mixed doubles winner. Devalued from a Grand Slam title to an exo. Let's just say I'm in shock 😳
— 🎗️ Paul McNamee (@PaulFMcNamee) February 11, 2025
Interesting 😜 https://t.co/56Xilk8rL5
— Holger Rune (@holgerrune2003) February 11, 2025
Last year's US Open mixed doubles winners Errani and Vavassori also took aim at the format and labelled it a 'disrespectful' move. Doubles great Kristina Mladenovic, a nine-time grand slam champ, claimed the decision was "terribly shocking".
"Doing that just to sell more money during first week of the event," Mladenovic posted on Instagram. "Making it look like an exhibition for whoever wants to play! What about players playing singles Q that want/could with their doubles ranking play mixed?"
While there has been plenty of frustration wth the new format, US Tennis Association CEO Lew Sherr claimed the competition will bring more excitement to the format. "What I would say is the reason behind this is to appeal to more fans and grow the fan base around the world," Sherr said.
"But the way to do that is to have the biggest names in the sport participating in doubles, and to showcase them teaming up and playing in a different format, we think is exciting. In fact, we know it's exciting."
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