The eagerly anticipated mixed doubles tournament at the 2025 US Open has already faced significant withdrawals, and more prominent players may still exit before the inaugural event at Flushing Meadows.
The United States Tennis Association is breaking with tradition by introducing a new two-day format scheduled for the week prior to the main US Open singles draw, with the winning duo set to receive $1 million.
The competition will feature 16 teams, with eight qualifying through their combined singles rankings and the remaining eight receiving wildcard entries.
Initially, the lineup included several big names who typically do not participate in mixed doubles at Grand Slams. Among them are world No. 1 Jannik Sinner partnering with Emma Navarro, and Carlos Alcaraz teaming up with Emma Raducanu.
Others include women’s No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov together, alongside newly crowned Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek partnering with Casper Ruud. While Sinner, Alcaraz, Raducanu, Swiatek, and Sabalenka expressed enthusiasm for the event, some players criticized the organizers.
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa, listed as entrants in June, have also withdrawn, possibly due to their rumored breakup and Badosa’s back injury. Additionally, Zheng Qinwen and Jack Draper have exited the competition, as the Chinese player cannot participate in the US Open singles due to an elbow injury.
The provisional entry list has now expanded to 25 teams, although only 16 will officially compete. New additions include Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune, Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev, and Venus Williams with Reilly Opelka, among others.
Upcoming Schedule and Participation Concerns
The mixed doubles event is slated for August 19 and 20 at Flushing Meadows, but it’s possible that some players will be tied up in the finals of the ATP-WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open earlier. With finals scheduled for August 18 in Mason, Ohio, players in both events may have to quickly transition from Cincinnati to New York.
