Reigning champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori slam US Open mixed doubles changes

Player reaction to the US Open's plan to overhaul its mixed doubles competition has been, well, mixed.

Leading the charge in dissent were reigning champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who defeated the all-American pair of Taylor Townsend and Donald Young to win the 2024 title. The Italians, who dubbed their run as a "dream come true" last summer, wrote in a joint statement posted to their Instagram accounts that the planned format changes, which include overhauling the means of player entry, playing the event over two days during Fan Week, and shortening the match format to four-game sets, turn the spirit of the sport "upside down."

They criticized the new format as "a pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show."

"A decision made without consulting anyone, which we can do nothing but accept it," they wrote."We see it as a profound injustice, that disrespect[s] an entire category of players."

"Put money above tennis is never a good idea," they added.

But the Italians weren't alone in sharing the sentiment, with more polarized opinions emerging to join the voices, including nine-time doubles major winner and former singles Top 10 player Kristina Mladenovic, who had previously chimed in a week prior when reports first emerged that the US Open would be making changes.

"Tell us that you think doubles players are trash, that tradition is overrated and job opportunity is a thing of the past without actually saying it," wrote Australian doubles specialist Ellen Perez, also a member of the WTA players' council, on her X, formerly Twitter, account. The outspoken former doubles world No. 7, currently ranked No. 12, is never shy about sharing her opinions on scoial media, and punctuated her post with a clown emoji.

"Leaving doubles acceptance up to wild card discretion isn’t really saying you can play," she added in a reply to a fan. "That’s a 'You can play if we feel like letting you play.'"

Poland's Jan Zielinski, winner of the Australian Open and Wimbledon mixed doubles titles with Hsieh Su-wei last year, concurred. The 28-year-old is also a former world No. 7 in doubles, currently ranked No. 26.

“No communication with the players, no thought behind what it means to some peoples careers, no respect to the history and traditions," he wrote in his own X post, adding a circus tent emoji. "Sad to see."

"I’m sorry, but the US Open now will not produce a bona fide mixed doubles winner. Devalued from a Grand Slam title to an [exhibition],” added Paul McNamee, a five-time Grand Slam doubles champion and the former Australian Open tournament director.

Not all reception was negative, however. Taylor Fritz, who was quoted in the USTA's media release along with Jessica Pegula expressing support for the changes, doubled down in a media interview in Delray Beach, where he's currently competing at the ATP 250. While sympthazing with doubles specialists, and recognizing his own bias, he said that he'd be more likely to enter mixed doubles, which he said he loves to play, in its new format.

"At the end of the day, the truth of the matter was mixed doubles, as it was, isn’t adding that much to the Slams," he said. "It’s not creating a lot of excitement. They're not filling up stadiums and stuff. ... People will be more excited to watch it with the top singles players playing together.”

With six months to go until Grand Slam action in Flushing Meadows, the Australian Open announced on Wednesday that it has no plans to follow the US Open's model when the 2026 tournament comes around in January.