Jessica Pegula will pair up with compatriot Tommy Paul to compete in the revamped Mixed Doubles event at this year’s US Open tennis championships. However, that doesn’t mean the World No. 4 is fully on board with the USTA’s decision to overhaul the format.
Why Does Jessica Pegula Have a Problem With the New US Open Mixed Doubles Format?
Pegula, who is currently competing at the Cincinnati Open, didn’t hold back when asked about her opinion on the upcoming US Open Mixed Doubles event.
“We were like, Okay, you guys (US Open) just went rogue and changed the format and didn’t tell anybody. You just kind of did it,” she said.
The American believes the tournament should have consulted with the players before taking such a bold step. Last November, the 31-year-old Pegula was re-elected to the influential WTA Players’ Council to represent the top 20 players.
“Did you talk to the players?” Pegula asked. “Did you get their input about how it could be better? I think that’s just something that we as players are trying to work with them on, having that line of communication be a lot smoother.”
She continued, “I feel like maybe if there was feedback about the format, then the (reaction) would be a little different, not so all over the place.”
Pegula is currently competing at the Cincinnati Open, where she has advanced to the Round of 32 after a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Kimberly Birrell.
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This year’s mixed doubles competition at the US Open will be held as a standalone event on August 19-20, taking place before the hard court Grand Slam begins on August 24.
What Makes the US Open’s Mixed Doubles Format Change So Controversial?
The US Open has completely revamped its mixed doubles draw to feature 16 teams. Eight teams receive direct entry based on combined singles rankings, while eight others get wildcards. This dramatic shift has drawn heavy criticism, particularly from doubles specialists who feel pushed aside by the new system.
Last year’s mixed doubles champions, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, publicly slammed the scheduling change as a “profound injustice.” They called the event “a pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show.” Despite their harsh criticism, the duo still received a wildcard to participate in this year’s event.
The US Open has defended these changes, emphasizing the tournament’s goal to attract top singles players by offering a $1 million prize purse. The entire event will now be held on stadium courts, which aims to boost visibility and excitement around the competition.
Lew Sherr, USTA CEO and executive director, explained the reasoning behind the changes. “We wanted to showcase the world’s best men and women competing with and against one another, confident that top players would be excited about this unique opportunity,” he said.
