Mumbai : In recent years, efforts have been made to enhance the popularity of doubles tennis. On Tuesday, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) issued a statement regarding significant changes to the mixed doubles event at this season's US Open.

These modifications are intended to address the declining attendance at doubles matches; however, they have sparked considerable controversy among doubles professionals.

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, the champions of last year's US Open mixed doubles, expressed their concerns in a joint statement: “We believe that making decisions solely based on profit motives is fundamentally misguided in certain circumstances. The US Open mixed doubles tournament will undergo a complete transformation, being canceled and replaced with a pseudo-exhibition that prioritizes entertainment over the sport.”

Historically, the mixed doubles events at all four Grand Slam tournaments have taken place over the two-week duration of the respective Major. In contrast, this year's US Open will condense the mixed doubles into a two-day event on August 19 and 20, with the main singles matches commencing on August 24.

The format has also been altered, with sets now concluding when a team reaches four games instead of six, and tie-breaks will be implemented at 4-4 in the first two sets. If a third set is necessary, a 10-point match tiebreak will be utilized.

Additionally, the draw will be limited to 16 pairs instead of the usual 32. Eight teams will qualify based on singles rankings, while the remaining spots will be filled through wild cards.

This shift indicates a pronounced emphasis on allowing singles players to participate in the tournament, rather than prioritizing traditional doubles specialists.

The mixed doubles event has long been a vital component of the four Grand Slam tournaments, with a legacy that spans decades. Renowned athletes such as Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, and John McEnroe have regularly competed in this event. From an Indian perspective, of the 33 Grand Slam titles won by Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania Mirza, and Rohan Bopanna, 20 were achieved in the mixed doubles category.

The modifications introduced by the USTA were not the initial instance in recent years where tennis organizations sought to implement changes.

Organizers expressed concern over the significantly lower attendance at the men’s and women’s doubles finals during the 2024 Australian Open, which attracted only a small fraction of the spectators compared to the singles finals held that year.

“I believe we may have strayed somewhat; (doubles is) not significant enough,” stated Craig Tiley, the tournament director of the Australian Open, as reported by The Guardian. “We need to rectify this situation, as we cannot continue to make no progress and must take decisive actions.”

At that time, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), which oversees the men’s tour, had already initiated a review process aimed at enhancing the appeal of doubles for audiences. In 2006, the ATP had previously attempted to shorten the duration of doubles matches by eliminating the advantage rule, implementing a golden point at 40-40 in each game.

However, by April of the previous year, the ATP announced plans to trial further modifications to the doubles format, commencing with the Madrid Masters, a key event in the men’s schedule.

More positions were allocated for singles players, thereby complicating entry for doubles specialists into the tournament. The shot clock, which regulates the time allowed between points, was decreased from 25 seconds to 15 seconds if a rally consisted of three shots or fewer.

Moreover, in a sport that traditionally demands silence and stillness from the audience, fans along the sidelines (excluding those behind the baselines) were permitted to move freely.

These evaluations were prompted by Matthew Ebden, a former world No. 1 doubles player who, alongside Bopanna, secured the men’s doubles title in Melbourne last year.

As reported by The Guardian, Ebden asserted that the ATP has “somewhat overlooked” doubles and that the review was necessary to “truly understand the purpose of doubles – its role, significance, and existence.”

Tennis Australia, organisers of the Australian Open, have made it clear that they will not follow in the footsteps of the USTA with regards to the revamped mixed doubles event.

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