The revamped US Open mixed doubles was shrouded in negativity in the days leading up to the event, but the relative success of the opening day of action confirmed that tennis chiefs wasted a golden chance with this innovation.
Big crowds, smiles on court, star names coming on to court one after the next and plenty of entertainment confirmed this brand of quick-fire could have a future.
Yet it needs to be modified and improved before it can be described as a Grand Slam event.
If this mixed doubles tournament were being staged as a new facet of fan week at the US Open, a prelude event to the main singles draws, everyone would welcome the action being served up by the stars who are competing in good-quality matches.
Where this went wrong was declaring the winners would be Grand Slam champions, as that devalues the glory of winning one of the biggest stages in our sport.
More Tennis News
US Open mixed doubles – how tennis chiefs turned a big opportunity into a farce
2025 US Open women’s singles seeds: Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff top 3, Raducanu needs withdrawal
That said, the sporting world has enjoyed the spectacle served up by the biggest names in tennis in New York, even though most of the A-listers were beaten.
The dream team of Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu were beaten by Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula in their opening match, with Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Elena Rybakina and Naomi Osaka among the other big names beaten on Tuesday.
The favourites to go all the way and win the title now may be defending US Open mixed doubles champions Andrea
Vavassori and Sara Errani, who eased into the semi-finals with two big wins in their opening matches.
Vavassori and Errani will take on the American duo of Christian Harrison and Danielle Collins in their semi-final, while Draper and Pegula will play Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, who impressed after coming together a few hours after Swiatek won the Cincinnati Open title.
All players left in the US Open mixed doubles are now guaranteed $100,000 in prize money each and if they go on to reach the final, that total will jump to $200,000 each.
The winning pair will share $1million in prize money, with Draper relishing the chance to play alongside doubles specialist Pegula.
“I’ve got a pretty good partner,” said Draper, after he and Pegula beat Alcaraz and Raducanu.
“What an experience playing out here against Emma and Carlos. It doesn’t get any better than this, so just a pleasure to be out here playing with such a good player.”
Tennis chiefs now need to appreciate that this mixed doubles format can be a success, but trying to pretend the winners are Grand Slam champions and playing the event a day after the Cincinnati Open finals are teething problems that need to be ironed out.
This sport needs to open its eyes to new ideas and innovations, but it isn’t always very good at executing a plan that could have real merit if it included elite doubles players alongside singles players in a more credible format.
READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz beaten in US Open mixed doubles by Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula
The post Iga Swiatek and Jack Draper secure cash windfall as Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu crash out appeared first on Tennis365.
Leave a Reply