Serving Change: Will the US Open’s Mixed Doubles Gamble Pay Off?

Mixed Doubles has always brought a fun twist to Tennis – surprise pairings, quickfire rallies, and plenty of unpredictability. The US Open, true to its reputation of being the sport’s greatest innovator (was the first grand slam to offer equal prize money to Men and Women winners), has attempted to rewrite that script. With a bold new format, it aims to turn mixed doubles into a faster, sharper spectacle built for modern fans.

After getting its first run last week, the revamped mixed doubles turned some heads. So, what’s changed, and why does it feel so different? Let’s take a closer look

A New Spin on Mixed Doubles

Traditionally, mixed doubles at Grand Slams followed the same script as men’s and women’s doubles – best of three sets, regular scoring, and a slower rhythm that reward patience and chemistry. Matches could stretch long, which often pushed them to side courts and away from the spotlight.

The US Open decided to change that. The revamped format trims the match length, speeds up scoring, and raises the stakes on every point. Here’s how it works:

- Shorter sets: Traditionally tennis matches are played in a set format (either 3 or 5 depending upon format) with the first to six taking the set. The US Open shortened that to a first to four instead of six.

- No-Ad Scoring: At deuce, one deciding point decides the game rather than the traditional format which requires two clear points to decide the game

- Match Tiebreaks: The traditional format was a three set match and if the first two sets are split, a third set is the deciding set. In the revamped format, if the first two sets are split, it is decided by a match tiebreaker with the team who reaches ten points first winning the match.

This result is a sharper, faster version of mixed doubles – built to entertain in real time.

Was the new format a success or just hype?

In August 2025, the first edition of the revamped Mixed Doubles format was played in New York. Staged as a standalone two-day event during the fan week in the build up to the main event starting on Sunday (24th August 2025), it pulled in over 78,000 fans across the two show courts – Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums. This resulted in an atmosphere described by tennis stars Jack Draper and Jessica Pegulla as “arguably more crazy than during a singles match”.

High profile singles stars had signed up for the Mixed Doubles event leading to star pairing’s like Carlos Alcaraz & Emma Radacanu, Jack Draper and Jessica Pegulla, Iga Swiatek & Casper Ruud, all vying for the $1 Million prize money.

The numbers backed up the hype, not only in terms of fan attendance, but even digitally. US Open reported 115% jump (2.2 Million) in app and website traffic during the event, and YouTube highlights of mixed doubles matches racked up 12.8 million views in a single day.

However, the revamped event had it’s fair share of criticism.

Why everyone was not convinced

While the revamped format had a buzz around it, with star singles players signing up pulling massive crowds to watch them, everyone was not sold on the shake up.

Traditional Doubles players including the eventual champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori; who earned their spot in this competition by virtue of winning the 2024 event, were the first to point out that the format left little space for them, with slots snapped up by singles stars. That give the whole thing a bit of an “exhibition vibe” – exciting sure, but not exactly what you’d call a proper Grand Slam competition.

There were also tennis purists who felt the shorter sets, no-ad scoring, match tie breakers turned the event into a “made-for-TV show” rather than a serious championship. There was a sense that the faster pace of the format stripped away tactics, rhythm and partnerships that are defining for the doubles format. It felt as though the format rewarded randomness and big shots while devaluing the craft of team work, since these single stars had never played with each other as consistently as doubles experts.

There was also fears that with the mixed doubles event becoming a standalone event, it could further undermine men’s and women’s doubles formats rather than lifting them, since more attention is given to star single’s players.

The US Open’s reimagined mixed doubles sparked both excitement and debate. While the format drew strong crowds and top players, it also raised questions about tradition and balance within the doubles game. Whether it becomes a permanent fixture or remains a one-off, the experiment has undeniably left its mark.