The US Open Mixed Doubles tournament kicks off with just as much criticism as excitement from fans and pundits.
The US Open doubles event was announced in June, with Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu and Casper Ruud and Iga Swiatek set to team together.
Fans are incredibly excited about Alcaraz and Raducanu’s partnership, but others have criticised the lack of doubles specialists in the tournament.
Former US Open doubles champion Joe Salisbury is the latest star to question the motives of the tournament.
Joe Salisbury says US Open Mixed Doubles is just an ‘exhibition’
British doubles specialist Joe Salisbury is just one of the doubles stars who has not been invited to the tournament.
Salisbury is a former doubles World No. 1 and he’s won four Grand Slams, but he will not be playing at the US Open.
“It kind of just feels like an exhibition, especially because it’s the week before,” said Joe Salisbury in an interview with Express Sport, who has won the US Open doubles on three occasions.
“They’re playing 16 draw, and they’re playing first to four games,” added Salisbury. It’s not really a Grand Slam. And I think, obviously, they’ve increased the prize money a lot.”
There’s only one doubles specialist team set to play the tournament, with last year’s winners Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori receiving a wild card for the event.
“For me, I don’t think that the players that are in it are really going to care about the fact that winning a mixed doubles Grand Slam, it’s just they’re going to do it for a bit of fun and it’s some extra prize money.”
Other doubles players, Taylor Townsend and Kateřina Siniaková, have entered the tournament, but with Ben Shelton and Jannik Sinner, respectively, with whom they’ve never played doubles with before.
What are the opening round matches at the US Open Mixed Doubles tournament?
The US Open Mixed Doubles tournament begins on August 18 and runs for two days at Flushing Meadows.
The 16-team tournament begins with some huge, star-studded matches, including Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula vs Raducanu and Alcaraz.
| US Open Mixed Doubles Tournament – Round One |
| Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu vs Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper |
| Olga Danilović and Novak Djokovic vs Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev |
| Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud vs Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe |
| Naomi Osaka and Gael Monfils vs Catherine McNally and Lorenzo Musetti |
| Kateřina Siniaková and Jannik Sinner vs Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev |
| Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton vs Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune |
| Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka vs Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev |
| Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassorri vs Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz |
Novak Djokovic will compete in his first match since Wimbledon as he teams with Olga Danilović to take on Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev.
Venus Williams will also continue her return to tennis following the Washington Open, as she teams with Reilly Opelka.