The 2025 US Open will feature a new-look mixed doubles tournament, which could attract some of the biggest players in the men’s and women’s game.
It was announced earlier in the year that mixed doubles at the US Open would be completely rehauled ahead of the 2025 tournament.
The event will be played across two days on ‘fan week’ with a unique rule set that may take some getting used to.
- Best of three sets
- Four game sets
- No AD scoring
- 10 point tiebreak in third set
16 teams will compete in the tournament, eight of which will qualify through their combined singles rankings on the ATP and WTA Tours.
These changes have received mixed reviews, although it sounds like the player support is there, with many big names expected to sign up when tennis heads to New York in August.
One top WTA star has now responded when asked if she plans to play the event alongside her ATP Tour fiancée later this year.
Katie Boulter says she ‘needs to have a chat’ with Alex de Minaur about the 2025 US Open
During an interview ahead of the 2025 Queen’s Club Championships, British number one Katie Boulter was asked whether she plans to play the US Open mixed doubles event with Alex de Minaur.
“You never know! I don’t think we have ruled it out, but I don’t think we have had a conversation about it. So something needs to change,” said Boulter.
“We do need to have a chat. I don’t really know.”
The 28-year-old went on to explain that they don’t need to make a decision right away.
“With this one, you can be quite spontaneous. It’s a spur-of-the-moment thing,” she said.
“So, whereas all other tournaments, singles, doubles, you have a three-week entry deadline, and you have to do it before then. This one you can literally do the same week, sign in and hope for the best, so I do think it will be a very last-minute decision if we do play.”
De Minaur and Boulter have already played mixed doubles together, competing at the invitational Eisenhower Cup event at Indian Wells earlier this year.
Facing off against the American duo of Ben Shelton and Emma Navarro, Boulter and De Minaur fell short, losing 7-10.
Only time will tell if we will see Boulter and De Minaur return to the United States for some more mixed doubles action later in the year.
What’s been said about the mixed doubles event at the 2025 US Open?
When the news broke that the mixed doubles event would undergo some pretty comprehensive changes, one of the discipline’s most successful pairings spoke out.
Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani, the defending US Open mixed doubles champions, expressed their disappointment in a social media post.
“In the last few weeks, we received the news that the US Open mixed doubles tournament will be completely turned upside down, cancelled, and replaced with a pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show,” they said in a joint statement.
“A decision made without consulting anyone, which we can do nothing but accept. We see it as a profound injustice that disrespects an entire category of players. Putting money above tennis is never a good idea.
“We don’t know at the moment if we’ll have the chance to defend our title, but we hope this will remain an isolated case and this type of policy will not be considered again in the future. We strongly felt the need to share our thoughts, Sara & Andrea.”
Vavassori and Errani became the first-ever Italian mixed doubles champions at the US Open in 2024, when they beat the American duo of Taylor Townsend and Donald Young in the final.
Their thoughts aren’t shared by everyone, however, as the outspoken Reilly Opelka gave his support to the US Open’s decision, slamming the quality of doubles on social media.
“They should 100% get rid of dubs. It’s for failed singles players,” he said.
Former world number one Andy Roddick was more cautious with his wording, but also expressed his support for the move.
“It’s not as if I don’t feel bad. Some of my best friends in the world [are doubles players],” said Roddick.
“But the arguments have to be based on fact or a new idea. You can’t just use vague terms like we are not promoted. It’s an old product that everyone knows about, which nobody watches.
“I don’t know if it will work, but it’s something different to try opposed to just letting something bleed out.”
It remains to be seen whether the new US Open mixed doubles tournament will be a success or not, but it will certainly be worth tuning in for when the event begins on August 19, 2025.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
