Tennis fans call out sad US Open change as De Minaur and Boulter drop doubles update
While they have come up against each other in mixed doubles since, in the United Cup, the engaged couple have hinted they would be open to playing on the same team again. And the change of format at the US Open has granted them an opportunity to stand on the same side of the net against some of the best players in the sport.
In an attempt to shine more attention on mixed doubles, the competition will now take place during the fan week (one week before the tournament proper) and each match will be shortened. The matches will remain best of three sets, but only played to four games instead of six. The third set will be a super tiebreak.
In a huge incentive for the singles players to enter the 2025 winners will pocket $1 million ($A1.6m) in a huge boost. But controversially 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.
Th US Open wants to draw in higher-ranked singles players to compete in the tournament. And this is exactly what has taken place. Not only have the likes of de Minaur and Boulter entered, but World No.1s Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams have all entered in their own separate pairs.
Last month, Boulter hinted herself and de Minaur needed to talk about entering the revamped US Open competition. The duo have joined a list of superstars in the competition, which has delighted many fans in what will certainly grab the attention of tennis supporters a week earlier than expected. This is a huge win for the US Open.
Backlash to US Open mixed doubles format
Although the move has drawn plenty of criticism from fans and former players. Last year's winners Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori have been included in the list. However, 25 teams have entered. The top eight teams with their combined rankings will have automatic selection. De Minaur and Boulter have a combined ranking of 53.
This will see them miss out on automatic entry. Some other big names of the sport will also miss out on selection in the eight wildcard entries, but it also hasn't been confirmed 2024 winners Errani and Vavassori will be included in the 16.
And while fans are hoping de Minaur and Boulter are selected, they will be battling it out against the likes of Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios for one of eight places in the wildcard draw. Although not everyone feels the new format is good for tennis.
The rule changes have been criticised with dedicated doubles and mixed doubles players no longer having another avenue of playing in a grand slam and earning money. Many of the lower ranked players were getting by on the tour thanks to entering mixed doubles competitions and earning money. Grand slams are the highest paying tournaments for these players.
The US Open halving the number of pairs and favouring singles rankings has all but ended any chance of lower ranked tennis players earning money at Flushing Meadows. This has seen the tournament face backlash to their decision, which goes against tennis tradition.
It is not looking good for the doubles specialists. By my count, there's 15 spots accounted for already and there's gonna be one available wild card. The teams I put down as locks for wild cards are teams I just can't imagine the US Open turning away bc they want singles stars. https://t.co/JUxbLLUO4T pic.twitter.com/LHgy1mT12P
— Owen (@kostekcanu) July 21, 2025
A shame for the top doubles specialists that aren't it because the top singles players are
— John (@bhrjnq) July 21, 2025
So a doubles tournament with entries determined entirely by singles rankings-so what is the point of players working hard to get a doubles ranking - this makes it completely worthless . This is just an exhibition event funding the singles players again. @realitytennis
— TeamApples (@TeamApples99) July 21, 2025
I find it odd that players and understandably so are complaining about the schedule and not having rest and then they sign up for a 4-match exhibition that counts as a real tournament with the US Open Mixed Doubles.
— SoCon Hoops Central (@hoops83657) July 21, 2025
Still appalled by what US Open decided to do with mixed doubles this year, tbh. You can see how much this means to these players and their families.
— Maria (@tennislols) July 10, 2025
Ellen Perez blasts US Open rule change
Another player who was left dumbfounded at the announcement earlier this year is Aussie mixed doubles player Ellen Perez. The Aussie is World No.17 in doubles, but currently unranked in singles.
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. As it stands, Perez will not play the US Open mixed tournament because of change in format.
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
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mariners get lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson in deal with Pirates, AP source says
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners agreed to acquire left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, giving their bullpen another arm as they make a playoff push, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced, said the Pirates will receive right-handed pitching prospect Jeter Martinez from the Mariners. The 29-year-old Ferguson is 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA in 43 1/3 innings this season and joins a Mariners bullpen that ranks seventh in the majors with in ERA at 3.74. Ferguson is making $3 million this year and is eligible for free agency after next season. Seattle entered Wednesday in position for the third and final American League wild-card spot. The 19-year-old Martinez has a 6.18 ERA in 16 starts for Class A Modesto. A native of Mexico, he was rated as the Mariners' No. 13 overall prospect. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Shelton ends Mannarino jinx in Toronto
Ben Shelton earned his first career win over gritty Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Wednesday, posting a 6-2, 6-3 victory to earn a third-round spot at the ATP Toronto Masters. The American fourth seed came to the court with a pair of losses against 37-year-old qualifier Mannarino, but said he was able to vary his serve to get over the line for a welcome first victory in the series. "This win was huge for me. He's a shotmaker, he can take the racquet out of your hands," Shelton said after his 56-minute win. "I've played well against him in the past and come up short, he can make things really difficult." Shelton broke twice to lift the opening set and cruised to a 5-3 margin in the second. He had to get past a niggle, double-faulting in the final game but saving the ensuing break point and finally clinching the win with a 16th ace followed by a service winner on match point. "His hands are so good," Shelton said of Mannarino. "You have to hit your (serving) spots really well. I'm happy I served well - I have nothing to complain about. "He's one of the great returners so I had to vary my serves. I'm happy with how I played." Andrey Rublev, runner-up in Canada a year ago to Alexei Popyrin, won his 250th career match on hardcourt as he beat France's Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-3. The sixth seed needed four match points to advance after 86 minutes. He now plays Italian Lorenzo Sonego, a 6-1, 6-4 winner over China's Bu Yunchaokete. Wimbledon quarter-finalist Flavio Cobolli of Italy delivered four aces in the final game of a rain-interrupted match to clinch a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Canadian Alexis Galarneau. But Canadian Gabriele Diallo came out on top against his Italian opponent, beating Matteo Gigante 6-3, 7-6 (7/5). str/bb
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Brian Schottenheimer ends Cowboys' practice early after fights and makes the team run as punishment
OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — When the Dallas Cowboys wouldn't stop fighting, coach Brian Schottenheimer made them run. During a noticeably fraught practice in what has been an aggressive training camp, Schottenheimer stepped in Wednesday after a heated red-zone drill led to the third fight of the day. The new coach pulled the team together for a lengthy and expletive-filled speech before sending players back out to start running sideline to sideline. Following the punishing sprints, Schottenheimer brought the team back together for a second address before he ended practice early. 'Basically, we just have to understand that Dallas isn't on the schedule, so we're nobody's enemies,' offensive lineman Nate Thomas said. 'We have to make sure that we're taking care of each other, but also getting the good work in because we have some guys down right now, and we have to understand that we need these reps. So we can't go out here and start fighting each other just because somebody did a little extra pushing or whatever the case may be.' Schottenheimer, a first-time head coach, has tried to balance competing aims during camp. He wants physical, high-energy sessions that will allow the offensive and defensive fronts to develop after the Cowboys struggled in both areas last season. At the same time, Schottenheimer is stressing accountability, an area wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said the team has lacked at times in the past. 'It's been a while, but I feel like that was really necessary,' Lamb said after being asked about the last time he had been part of a practice where the whole team had been punished that way. 'I honestly like what he's doing because we need discipline. We need to be able to go through that line. I'm saying we need to have that, that availability towards the team and then that aggressiveness at the same time, to be able to be as mad and fight between the whistles, and then as soon as the (play is) done, like, we going to line it up again.' The Cowboys were 29th in the NFL penalties committed and 28th in giveaways last season, when they went 7-10 under then-coach Mike McCarthy. ___ AP NFL:
