NEW YORK (AP) – The US Open is moving its mixed doubles championship to the week before the tournament begins, hoping a revamped format and USD1 million prize will persuade top singles players to chase a Grand Slam doubles title.
This year’s event will feature 16 teams competing over two days in shorter matches. Tournament organisers believe that can attract the sport’s biggest stars, many of whom have long passed on doubles to keep themselves fresh for singles.
“What I would say is the reason behind this is to appeal to more fans and grow the fan base around the world,” said executive director and CEO of the US Tennis Association (USTA) Lew Sherr.
“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.”
The plan announced yesterday calls for mixed doubles to be contested on August 19 and 20, during the week when the qualifying rounds for men’s and women’s singles are being held. Main draw play in singles begins on August 24.
The early round matches will be best-of-three sets played to just four games, with a deciding point played at deuce. Tiebreakers would be at 4-all – rather than 6-6 in a regular match – and a 10-point match tiebreaker would be played if the teams split sets, rather than a third set.
Only the final will closely resemble a Grand Slam match, a best-of-three sets played to six games with no-ad scoring, tiebreakers at 6-all and a 10-point match tiebreaker.
Sherr said the USTA had discussed a format change in previous years but the idea truly picked up steam after last year, when a “Mixed Madness” event during the qualifying week drew singles superstars such as Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios and Ben Shelton, and was won by Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa.
