Tennis fans won't need to wait until the men's and women's singles draws begin to see some of the sport's biggest stars play at the U.S. Open.
The year's final major is introducing a fully revamped approach to the mixed doubles championship, shifting the event up to avoid singles play and adjusting the format to attract top-ranked players. In the adjusted format, matches have been shortened and the tournament field has been shrunk to sidestep tennis star's concerns of hindering their singles run.
It will take just two days and four matches for one mixed doubles duo to claim a major trophy and the lucrative prize it comes with. They even get a few days rest (or likely, practice) before the men's and women's singles draws begin.
Still, it's a quick turnaround for some of the world's best players to make it on the heels of the Cincinnati Open. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are both scheduled to compete in the mixed doubles draw that begins Tuesday after they competed in the final at Cincinnati on Monday. On the women's side, Iga Świątek is in the field after her win at Cincinnati. Her final match began at 6 p.m. ET and she's slated to compete in mixed doubles with Casper Ruud, with their first match scheduled for 12 p.m. ET the next day.
But, the world's top players aren't afraid of jumping through hoops to quickly get back in on the action. This is a major after all. Plus, the new-look mixed doubles tournament at the U.S. Open provides a perfect reason to get back on the court so quickly.
Here's everything you need to know about the reimagined mixed doubles event at the U.S. Open that will put some of the top tennis stars on the same side of the court.
What Is the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship?
The U.S. Open announced a fully reimagined event with the mixed doubles championship, moving it to the first week of the three-week tournament—before the main draws commenced.
This paved the way for huge names to enter, as the most well known tennis stars typically avoid mixed doubles in fear of jeopardizing their runs in the singles draws during majors. The new-look event is made up of 16 pairs who will play for the title over a span of just two days, with the first and second rounds taking place Tuesday, and the semifinals and final to follow on Wednesday.
While mixed doubles events are normally held on outer courts due to scheduling with concurrent matches, the new format allows the event to take the center stage with play held on the U.S. Open's stadium courts: Louis Armstrong Stadium and Arthur Ashe Stadium. The drastic change by the U.S. Open made it easy for the sport's top-ranked players to follow.
What Duos Are Playing in the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship?
The U.S. Open announced the full 16-team field and draw for the tournament's mixed doubles championship on Sunday. Eight teams entered the field via direct entry, while the other half of the pairs received a wild card to enter the draw. Each duo who will compete in the U.S. Open's mixed doubles championship is below:
Here is the full draw:
The US Open Mixed Doubles Championship draw is set! pic.twitter.com/FntRmId9R0
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 17, 2025
What Is the Tournament Format for the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship?
Each team will compete in best-of-three set matches with sets up to four games and no advantage in games that reach a score of deuce (40-all). That means at deuce, the winner of the next point will win the game. A tiebreak comes into play if each side wins four games in a set. If each team wins a set apiece, a 10-point tiebreak will be played for the match in lieu of a traditional third set. In a third-set tiebreak, the team who reaches 10 points first, with an advantage of two or more points, takes the match.
The final match will be extended a bit as a best-of-three set match with sets up to six games instead of four. The final will still have no advantage in games that reach deuce, and it will also follow the same 10-point match tiebreak instead of a third set if needed.
When Will the U.S. Open's Mixed Doubles Championship Take Place?
The mixed doubles championship will be packed into a two-day span in the first week of the three-week U.S. Open. The first two rounds will be played on Tuesday, Aug. 19 while the semifinals and finals will take place the following day on Wednesday, Aug. 20. It will be wrapped up well before both the men's and women's singles draws begin on Sunday, Aug. 24.
The entire mixed doubles tournament will be played on the U.S. Open's stadium courts: Louis Armstrong Stadium and Arthur Ashe Stadium. Both the semifinal and final matches will take place under the lights on Wednesday at Arthur Ashe for an unparalleled tennis scene.
How Can I Watch the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship?
The two-day event will be broadcast across ESPN networks. The full broadcast schedule for each round of the mixed doubles championship is below:
What's at Stake in the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship?
Other than a major championship in mixed doubles, the 16-team field is competiting for some serious prize money in the two-day event. The U.S. Open mixed doubles championship will have a multi-million dollar purse, with a $1 million prize awarded to the champion.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Everything You Need to Know About the U.S. Open's Star-Studded Mixed Doubles Event.
