The US Open is the final Grand Slam of the year, and it represents a final chance for players on the ATP and WTA Tours to claim success at a major event.
It’s going to be all change for the US Open in 2026, with Eric Butorac announced as the tournament director, replacing Stacey Allaster in the role.
At this year’s event, Butorac oversaw the new mixed doubles concept that took place the week before the US Open got underway, and it proved to be a roaring success.
Now, he will be overseeing the entire Flushing Meadows spectacle, and after taking over the position, he’s immediately outlined one of his top priorities.
Eric Butorac makes pledge to tennis fans after taking US Open role
The final Grand Slam of the year is always a great spectacle, with Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka emerging victorious in 2025.
Butorac does know the tournament, having been the tournament director for the mixed doubles competition, and he looks well-suited to the role.
After being announced as the new top dog for the event, Butorac has now explained what he really wants to make sure happens in New York in 2026.
He told the Served with Andy Roddick podcast: “That is something that not only I think about, but our whole team thinks about a lot and is debated.
“The US Open mixed doubles was super successful, so much so that the free content we put on Louis Armstrong, we could easily charge for next year.
“We have had that debate already, and I think our plan, at this moment, it’s not decided yet, but we want to continue to offer that content for free.
“Maybe we will charge on Ashe, like we did last year, but let’s hope for Louis. We need to keep something that is accessible for the fans to come and experience the US Open.
“It is hard because there is so much demand, and there are times where the brokers will buy up all the inventory, and it becomes almost out of our hands, and that becomes unfortunate that we can’t even get the tickets to the actual tennis fan who deserves them.
“But where we can and where we will continue to try and lean in, you have got my word, I will continue to push on that as much as we can.”
Mixed doubles concept can work at all Grand Slam events
Some doubles purists have worried that proper doubles teams would take offence to the concept of a mixed event featuring pairs made up of some of the game’s very best players.
However, the tournament in America this year proved extremely watchable and, as Butorac says, some of the event was free to watch, which can only be a good thing for the progress of tennis.
Getting the chance to watch some of the elite players in one shortened event is good for fans, and it’s intriguing that the emphasis will be placed on free tickets again next year.
The event was clearly a success last year, and it would be great if all of the Grand Slams could do this in the future and make it a quarterly event on the calendar.
Who won the inaugural US Open mixed doubles event in 2025
Intriguingly, the event was actually won by one team of players who specialise on the doubles circuit.
Italian duo Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori claimed success in the final against Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, who came through some tough matches after teaming up.
Most of the players saw the event as a bit of fun and the chance to get the competitive juices flowing ahead of the main draw.
Given that tickets were given away for free on one of the courts, fans flocked to see the action, and now, it’s a huge positive that Butorac wants to enhance the competition next year.
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