More money, fewer teams, shorter matches. The mixed doubles tournament at the US Open will see a lot of changes in 2025.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has announced far-reaching changes for the mixed doubles tournament at the US Open. According to the announcement, the competition will be held over just two days for the first time this year – and that will be in the week before the actual start of the tournament.
According to the USTA, the mixed matches are scheduled for August 19 and 20, which means they will fall within the so-called “Fan Week”. This week was previously reserved only for the singles qualification and various show events, while the mixed doubles took place at the same time as the main tournament. The rescheduling also allows the mixed doubles teams to compete in the large arenas, the Arthur Ashe Stadium and the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“We will bring the mixed doubles to the main stage and give more fans worldwide the opportunity to watch their stars compete for this Grand Slam title,” said USTA CEO Lew Sherr, explaining the changes.
US Open: Mixed prize money increases significantly
To this end, higher prize money has been introduced for the competition. Although the exact breakdown has not yet been determined, it is certain that the winning duo will be rewarded with one million dollars. By way of comparison, the previous prize money was only 200,000 dollars.
The number of participants will also be reduced from 32 to 16 teams. The duration of the matches will also be changed, with each set only played to four – if the score is 4-4, there will be a tiebreak. The final will be an exception to this, with the traditional set format.
The extension of the tournament is also likely to be based on financial motives. Admission to Fan Week has always been free for spectators, but tickets will now be sold for the mixed matches.
