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Word leaked out a few weeks ago that the US Open was making sweeping changes to the mixed doubles event: cutting the draw in half, moving it to the qualifying week and basically cutting doubles players out of the bounty.

But the reality is actually more comprehensive.

The tournament stealthily posted the details on Twitter and in an email, with a post on their website at … 5 a.m. Tuesday morning – the middle of the night on the U.S. west coast – in what was the tennis equivalent of a Friday news dump.

The graphic explains it all, with the fake news being that it is a “coveted” title.

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Yes, they’re bumping up the prize money – a “multi-million dollar” purse (not specified) and $1 million U.S. to the winners.

Perhaps they feel that’s enough to convince the top players to enter. Perhaps it is.

The match format has been thrown in the wood chipper: it’s now “first-to-four games” sets, no-ad – and a match tiebreak in lieu of a third “set”.

The final will, for reasons unknown, be sets that are first to six games, no ad (and so a set can be won 6-5).

Top players only

The draw? Just 16.

Eight of those slots will go to players who have the best combined singles ranking. The other eight will go to … wild-card teams. We’re thinking that means Americans, or name players they manage to convince to enter after whatever the entry deadline will be now (historically, it’s been in the early days of the main event).

The “event” will take place over two days – Aug. 19 and 20, so Tuesday and Wednesday the week before the actual tournament.

Since it’s taking place only on Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums, the first day of play will mean that the top players who arrive early to New York to practice will be prevented from practicing on the stadium courts they will typically be playing on, because they’ll be booked up.

The semis and finals on the Wednesday will be in the evening in the U.S. (crazy other hours in the rest of the world).

Because who DOESN’T want to watch mixed doubles in a completely unfamiliar format on a Wednesday night on ESPN? I guess we’ll see.

You wouldn’t even be surprised if they miked up the players for the occasion. Because that’s what we’re talking about here.

Consultation? Nah

It’s worth noting that the players had basically zero input, zero say in this decision. Which was purely a financial one as the USTA will pocket more revenue on those days – if not for charging admission to the mixed (that’s unclear at this point, but don’t bet against it), from the additional bounty from merchandise and concessions sales. Which is the whole point of “qualifying week”, big picture.

And from ESPN, because this is a format for mixed that’s an additional product the USTA can sell, and ESPN undoubtedly would have to pay extra to carry the final two rounds on the Wednesday. As for all the other broadcast rightsholders on the planet, it’s hard to fathom the Europeans having much interest in an exhibition mixed doubles evening happening in the middle of the night over there.

The Tours were notified barely 10 days ago, we’re told.

Two wild cards are supposed to be set aside for the doubles players – two. But you can be sure as death and taxes that those will go to Americans.

140 years of history down the drain

Mixed doubles has been an event at the US Open since it was the amateur US championships, when L Stokes and Joseph Clark won it in 1887.

There have been some illustrious champions: Jack Kramer, Alice Marble, Ken Rosewall, Althea Gibson, Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, A young Serena Williams, Martina Hingis, the Bryan brothers.

And there have been some unlikely champions who caught lightning in a bottle for a week: Melanie Oudin and Jack Sock, a young Victoria Azarenka with Max Mirnyi in 2007, Anna Danilina and Harri Heliovarra, Storm Sanders and John Peers.

Last year featured a poignant career finale for Donald Young, who made the final with Taylor Townsend on a wild card.

They lost to Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori of Italy. Who likely both will be competing in the singles qualifying that week and thus would have to either make a choice, or load up early in the week.

Most of of those champions went through a 32-team draw, with a match tiebreak replacing a full third set some years ago. They were regular sets. They earned those major titles.

That’s all gone now, and anyone who claims they “won a Grand Slam title” by taking the US Open mixed doubles will have an asterisk next to their name.

Quotes galore

The USTA has drafted top American players Taylor Fritz and Jessica Pegula (but, notably, not top American woman Coco Gauff) to preach the gospel.

Fritz: “Mixed doubles is always a great challenge, and I’ve had some amazing experiences with it over the years, from the Olympics to the United Cup, and even the USO Mixed Madness last year. I’m definitely looking forward to the chance to compete for a Grand Slam title in the future.”

(The notion that this is still a “Grand Slam title” is a stretch. But putting aside United Cup where it’s not really optional, Fritz played mixed doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympics with Gauff. He played the US Open mixed doubles twice – in 2014 and 2015, when he was a young junior getting USTA-provided opportunities to get his Grand Slam feet wet. But not since, and not at any other major. It’s precisely those opportunities Fritz had, that up-and-coming young American players will no longer have).

Pegula: As a player who enjoys competing in doubles, I’m excited for the opportunity to play the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship during the first week. I appreciate the importance of innovation and exploring new ways to engage more fans and grow our sport.”

(Pegula, who first played mixed doubles in a major only in 2021 when she was 27, played mixed at all the majors except Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023 – culminating in a US Open mixed final in 2023. But she hasn’t played since; indeed, she seems to still be recovering from her zeal in entering all the events and playing so many matches in those years. She played women’s doubles just once at majors in 2024, at Wimbledon).

ESPN says they love it.

USTA CEO Lew Sherr, loves it. “By giving the competition its own spotlight, we’re elevating mixed doubles to put an even greater focus on the incredible talent we have across the sport. We’re working closely with top players, many of whom are eager to be part of this historic change.”

In other words, no one else has yet made a commitment. No doubt it’ll be a hard sell. Or an easy sell. Depends on how much you like money.

Not that there’s anything wrong with money.

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