Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, Jessica Pegula and others — Did star power save mixed doubles at the US Open?

For years, mixed doubles at the Grand Slams has lived in the shadows. Tucked away on outer courts, with sparse crowds and modest prize money, it often felt like a polite afterthought rather than a true showcase. The 2025 US Open decided to flip that script — and in doing so, turned a forgotten format into one of the most talked-about events of the fortnight. This wasn’t the mixed doubles of old. Instead of meandering matches played in empty corners of the Billie Jean King Tennis Center, the tournament condensed the action into a two-day sprint, slotted during Fan Week when attention is at its peak. Short sets, no-advantage scoring, and match tiebreaks were designed to guarantee drama and keep the pace brisk. And then came the real hook: a $1 million prize for the winners — a figure that instantly catapulted the event into prime-time relevance.

Star power arrives

It wasn’t just the money. The draw looked like something dreamed up in a fan’s imagination. Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu stepping onto court as partners, Jessica Pegula testing her doubles chops, and even veterans like Venus Williams mixing it up with the next generation. Names that usually command Ashe Stadium for gruelling best-of-five marathons were now part of a quick-fire doubles shootout, and the crowds responded. The stands filled, the buzz spread online, and for the first time in a long time, mixed doubles felt like a showpiece.

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And yet, tennis has a way of humbling hype. While the stars brought the spotlight, it was the doubles specialists who brought the substance. Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani, seasoned Italian campaigners with reflexes honed at the net, carved their way through the field and ultimately defended their title. Their victory wasn’t just a win on the scoreboard; it was a statement — that chemistry, positioning, and instinct still trump pure celebrity.

Success or stunt?

Was it a success? In terms of attention, absolutely. Crowds flocked, broadcasters leaned in, and social media lit up with clips of unlikely pairings and rapid-fire rallies. For a format often dismissed as filler, it was a breakthrough. But success comes with caveats. Doubles specialists voiced frustration at being sidelined, their usual spots handed to marquee singles players. Purists worried about whether gimmicks like short sets and oversized prize money diluted the spirit of the sport. The divide was clear: what thrilled audiences wasn’t necessarily embraced by those who grind week-in, week-out on the doubles circuit.

What the US Open proved, however, is that there is an appetite for mixed doubles when it is packaged boldly. In an era when tennis is constantly seeking ways to engage younger audiences, the experiment offered a glimpse of what the sport could look like: faster, starrier, louder. Whether the other majors follow suit remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — mixed doubles is no longer invisible.