The US Open Mixed Doubles event is due to start on Tuesday afternoon.
Various high-profile names are set to take part in the tournament, including Emma Raducanu, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz.
However, the revamped tournament has caused some understandable consternation. There is a striking lack of doubles specialists present in the draw and the tournament no longer rewards any ranking points.
Some of the best doubles players the sport has to offer – including Lloyd Glasspool, Jelena Ostapenko and Julian Cash – will not be competing in the tournament.
However, one notable figure has expressed his support for the event, claiming the tournament is a ‘great idea.’
Patrick Mouratoglou, the former coach of Serena Williams, has weighed in on the discussion.
Patrick Mouratoglou says the new US Open Mixed Doubles event is a ‘great initiative’
Mouratoglou, who recently parted ways with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, discussed the tournament on his Instagram account on Monday.
The Frenchman, who has also worked with Holger Rune and Coco Gauff, believes the event is a ‘great idea.’
Mouratoglou said: “I think the mixed doubles at the US Open, which will happen before the tournament starts, I think it’s a great idea, because one of the reasons non-tennis fans go to watch tennis is because they want to see stars, to have the stars compete. It’s amazing.
“Traditionally the stars were not competing for mixed doubles because it was during the tournament and they wanted to focus on singles.
“So the fact that they moved it to before the tournament, then it’s not a problem anymore. It’s the week before the US Open for them.
“It’s kind of practice matches, so it’s not a problem for them to play at all, and this gives the opportunity to other people to also come to watch the biggest stars and to pair stars, one man, one woman.
“And I’m sure people will be so pleased to go watch them.
“I know the doubles players are not happy about that because they used to play it, and I understand when I put myself in their shoes.
“But I think for the crowd it’s much better to have Sinner and Alcaraz than top, top doubles players that people don’t know as much.
“And even if the match is not nice because this can happen, people will come back home and say ‘oh I’ve seen this player or this player.’
“They’re excited to see the stars. So I think it’s a great initiative.”
Kristina Mladenovic said the US Open Mixed Doubles is no longer a Grand Slam tournament
Former world number one doubles player Kristina Mladenovic expressed her thoughts regarding the ‘problematic’ US Open Mixed Doubles tournament while speaking to Eurosport France in June.
It must be noted that Mladenovic made the following comments before high-ranking doubles players like Katerina Siniakova and defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori were invited to play in the tournament.
Mladenovic, who won nine Grand Slam doubles titles during her career, including three in the mixed doubles category, said: “In terms of business strategy, it’s a brilliant idea.
“It guarantees the US Open a much more lucrative third week in terms of ticket sales, on-site consumption and, I imagine, TV rights.”
“But from a sporting point of view, it’s problematic because it touches on the essence of tennis. A Grand Slam is a competition steeped in history, in singles and doubles.
“And now, all of a sudden, the doubles become a super exhibition without anything and no one having a say. There’s no problem putting on such an event, but above all, don’t call it a Grand Slam!”
Mladenovic later added: “We’ve been hearing for years that the funds raised by the Grand Slams aren’t being redistributed as they should be.
“And now, when we see the prize money being offered to players who don’t need it – but who will gladly take it – it’s a little disturbing.
“For some time now, we’ve had the impression that everything is going a bit in all directions and we’re wondering where our sport is going.
“What’s wrong with it that we always want to change everything? It’s a shame that we don’t have a foundation, a sort of higher authority in charge of protecting the history of tennis and its traditions.”
