Pegula expresses dissatisfaction with the US Open's approach: no player consultation before mixed doubles format reform

With the North American autumn hard court season nearing its peak, the mixed doubles event at this year's US Open will soon commence at Flushing Meadows. Recently, the participant list and format changes have continued to generate considerable discussion about the mixed doubles at this year's US Open. Current world number four Pegula will partner with compatriot Paul to compete, and in an interview at the Cincinnati event, she stated that the lack of communication between players and event organizers is at the heart of the issue, pointing out that players were not consulted before major reforms were announced.

Pegula profile image

"It is an honor to be invited to participate in the event, and I believe it will be exciting and enjoyable, which fans will appreciate," Pegula said. "However, I think their handling of the situation is inappropriate." The US Open announced the new format in February: mixed doubles will take place during the two-day qualifying week, using a "four-game" scoring system. The most controversial aspect is that 16 pairs will compete—eight pairs will qualify based on singles rankings (not doubles), while the other eight wildcard spots will be allocated to popular players and doubles champions.

As a member of the WTA Player Council, Pegula previously co-signed a letter to the four Grand Slams requesting an increase in player prize money distribution. While she supports innovation in events, she highlighted that the lack of communication caught players off guard: "Our reaction at the time was: You (US Open) just unilaterally changed the format? Without notifying anyone? Completely self-serving. Did you conduct any research? Did you consult players? Have you considered how to optimize it? We players are working hard to establish smoother communication with them, and if we had communicated about this in advance, the current reactions might not be so polarized."

"Fans will certainly be excited about this, but when (doubles) players complain about losing opportunities to compete and their income streams being cut off, that’s not a good thing. The event will indeed be interesting, but I genuinely hope they can communicate with us more effectively," Pegula stated.

Additionally, the tight schedule is another factor causing player dissatisfaction. This year's US Open mixed doubles will start on Tuesday of the qualifying week, while the Cincinnati finals only conclude on Monday. "This two-week schedule has left many players feeling somewhat overwhelmed," Pegula remarked. "Although the event organizers may earn more money and we players might receive higher prize money, what is the cost?"

(Text and editing by Wang Fei, Images by Visual China)