US Open adds mixed doubles qualifying round after criticism from specialists

New York: The US Open will introduce a qualifying round to its mixed doubles championship this year, providing a competitive pathway for traditional doubles specialists who were predominantly excluded from last year's field in favour of prominent singles players.

The US Tennis Association announced Thursday that an eight-team qualifying tournament will take place Aug. 24, with duos competing for the final two positions in the 16-team main draw.

During last year's tournament, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori secured their second consecutive championship in New York, yet they represented the sole traditional doubles tandem in the field. Despite entering the competition as the reigning champions, the duo required a wild-card exemption simply to secure entry. Conversely, eight pairings gained automatic entry based on the players' collective singles rankings, while the remaining tournament slots were allocated via wild cards.

The USTA modified the structural format of the event last year, shifting its scheduling to the commencement of the two-week tournament. Professional doubles competitors criticised the revised framework, characterising the competition as more of an exhibition match because it marginalised specialised duos, particularly given the $1 million winners' prize that significantly exceeded standard division earnings.

Under the updated tournament schedule, the opening round and the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles division will be contested Aug. 25, followed by the semifinals and the championship match Aug. 26.

With inputs from AP