World No. 4 Jessica Pegula says the U.S. Open’s reworked mixed doubles could draw strong crowds but that organisers need to do a better job communicating with players before pushing through big format changes.
The tournament announced in February that the mixed doubles event — which will carry $1 million in prize money — will be staged on August 19-20, immediately before the singles main draw. The field has been halved to 16 teams (down from 32), with eight entries determined by combined singles rankings and eight wild cards. Match rules have also been altered: best-of-three formats featuring short sets to four games, no-advantage scoring, tiebreaks at four-all and a 10-point match tiebreak in place of a third set; the final will be a traditional best-of-three to six games.
Pegula, a member of the WTA Player Council who will partner with American Tommy Paul, welcomed the potential spectator appeal — the draw includes high-profile pairings such as Carlos Alcaraz with Emma Raducanu and Jannik Sinner with Emma Navarro — but warned the reduced field could hurt doubles specialists’ income and opportunities. Defending mixed-doubles champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori called the changes a “profound injustice” to doubles players, and Pegula said that kind of player feedback shows organisers need clearer dialogue with the tour and with those most affected.
Tournament officials have said the reimagined event is intended to elevate mixed doubles, put it in a bigger spotlight and inspire more people to take up the game. The U.S. Open has also signaled wider investment in the event this year, with the tournament’s overall prize money increased in recent announcements, part of efforts to grow the sport and boost fan engagement.
Commentary and context
– The compressed format and smaller field appear designed to create marquee matchups over a short window, which can attract television and on-site audiences by featuring top singles stars alongside familiar doubles names. That approach can raise visibility for mixed doubles but risks sidelining regular doubles specialists who rely on the full draw for match play and earnings.
– Better advance consultation with the WTA, ATP and player councils could allow organisers to refine the format in ways that retain star appeal while safeguarding opportunities and pay for doubles specialists — for example, guaranteeing some spots or compensation for top-ranked doubles players, or increasing prize distribution across rounds.
Short summary
Jessica Pegula supports the U.S. Open’s aim to make mixed doubles a bigger spectacle but urges organisers to consult players more thoroughly after the event’s field and format were heavily changed. The revamped two-day, 16-team event carries $1 million in prize money and features several high-profile pairings, though some doubles players have criticised the reduction in entries as unfair.
Hopeful angle
If organisers engage constructively with players and use this reworked format as a pilot, the tournament could successfully raise the profile of mixed doubles, draw new fans with star pairings, and then iterate on the model to better balance spectacle with fair opportunities for doubles specialists.
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