Tennis stars have criticised US Open officials for scheduling the mixed doubles during fan week at this year’s tournament, slamming the move as “terrible” and “disrespectful”.
A raft of doubles specialists, including Australian Ellen Perez, have taken to social media to express their dismay and disgust at the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) decision.
The plan announced on Wednesday AEDT calls for mixed doubles to be contested on August 19 and 20, during the week of the men’s and women’s singles qualifying event before the US Open main draws start 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.
Tiebreaks would be contested at 4-4 instead of 6-6 as they are in a regular match.
A first-to-10-points match tiebreaker would be played if the teams split sets. Only the final will be a best-of-three-sets affair.
As few as 16 teams — including eight wildcard pairings — will feature, with the eight other duos determined by the top player in each team’s singles ranking.
The changes have not gone down well with doubles specialists.
“Tell us that you think doubles players are trash, that tradition is overrated, and job opportunity is a thing of the past without actually saying it,” Perez posted on X.
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Decorated French doubles exponent Kristina Mladenovic declared the decision “terribly shocking”.
“Doing that just to sell more money during first week of the event,” Mladenovic posted on Instagram.
“Making it look like an exhibition for whoever wants to play!
“What about players playing singles Q (qualifying) that want/could with their doubles ranking play mixed?”
USTA executive director and chief executive Lew Sheer said he expected fans to embrace the changes.
“What I would say is the reason behind this is to appeal to more fans and grow the fan base around the world,” he said.
“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.”
AAP
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