US Open Mixed Doubles gets $1M boost and star power
Partnerships including Medvedev/Andreeva, De Minaur/Boulter, and Rublev/Muchová headline a bold new era for mixed doubles at the US Open this year.
The 2025 US Open is turning heads with a dramatic revamp of its mixed doubles competition, featuring a $1 million prize for the winning pair, the richest purse in mixed doubles history. Played August 19–20 during qualifying week, the tournament will feature 16 teams and a condensed match format to encourage participation from top singles players. Confirmed pairings include Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev, Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter, and Andrey Rublev and Karolína Muchova, giving the draw an immediate boost in star power and international intrigue.
In this new format, the first two rounds will be shortened: best-of-three sets to four games (no-ad scoring) with a 10-point match tiebreak in lieu of a third set. The final, however, will resemble more traditional play of sets to six games, still using no-ad scoring and a super tiebreak decider if needed. Matches will take place in Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums, offering a big stage for players and fans.
This change follows the success of 2024’s “Mixed Madness” exhibition, where players like Coco Gauff and Nick Kyrgios helped ignite fan excitement around the format. The USTA hopes the $1M purse and pre-main draw schedule will ensure mixed doubles becomes a fan favorite, not a late-night afterthought. It also allows players with tight singles or doubles schedules to still participate without overloading their two-week commitments.
However, not everyone is on board. Reigning champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori have voiced concern over the format’s entertainment-first approach, worried that it might marginalize doubles specialists. Others, like Ellen Perez and Jan Zielinski, have raised broader concerns about fairness and long-term implications for players who have built careers in the discipline.
Inside the Baseline…
Injecting energy into mixed doubles is long overdue, and the US Open’s initiative to draw singles stars and raise the stakes is a bold step. With names like Medvedev, Boulter, and Muchova entering the draw, fan engagement will surely rise, but it’s vital to ensure this evolution doesn’t push out the doubles specialists who’ve carried the format for years. Mixed doubles deserves the spotlight, but not at the cost of its foundation.
READ NEXT: Stefanos Tsitsipas to partner with Ivanisevic post Roland Garros
Join >> Receive $700/£600 of tennis gear from the Tennishead CLUB
Social >> Facebook, Twitter & YouTube
Read >> World’s best tennis magazine
Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted partner
