A Revamped US Open Mixed Doubles Showcase Ends With Title Defence

The 2025 US Open mixed doubles unfolded over two electrifying days, Tuesday, August 19, and Wednesday, August 20, ushering in a bold new format aimed at blending elite singles star power with the finesse of doubles specialists. The draw featured just 16 pairs, half earning spots via combined singles rankings and half via wildcards. The first rounds were best-of-three with short sets to four games, no‑ad scoring, tiebreaks at 4‑all, and a 10‑point match tiebreak taking the place of the third set. The final, however, mirrored a more traditional structure (6‑game sets, no‑ad, with a 10‑point breaker at 6‑all).

The Field: Stars and Survivors

The line-up was a dazzling mix of names:

Direct entrants (by ranking):

• Top seeds: Jessica Pegula & Jack Draper
• Second seeds: Elena Rybakina & Taylor Fritz
• Third seeds: Iga Świątek & Casper Ruud
• Fourth seeds: Amanda Anisimova & Holger Rune

Wildcard duos included heavyweights and fan favorites:

• Emma Raducanu & Carlos Alcaraz
• Venus Williams & Reilly Opelka
• Novak Djokovic & Olga Danilović
• Naomi Osaka & Gaël Monfils
• Sara Errani & Andrea Vavassori (the defending champions, invited via wildcard)
• Madison Keys & Frances Tiafoe
• Taylor Townsend & Ben Shelton
• Danielle Collins & Christian Harrison

From Rounds to Finals: The Road to the Title

Round of 16 highlights:

• Top seeds Pegula/Draper defeated wildcards Raducanu/Alcaraz, 4‑2, 4‑2.
• Swiatek/Ruud overcame Keys/Tiafoe, 4‑1, 4‑2.
• Errani/Vavassori dispatched Rybakina/Fritz, 4‑2, 4‑2.
• Collins/Harrison beat Bencic/Zverev, 4‑0, 5‑3. Another first‑round match featured Osaka/Monfils vs McNally/Musetti.

Quarter‑finals:

• Pegula/Draper dominated Andreeva/Medvedev, 4‑1, 4‑1.
• Swiatek/Ruud beat McNally/Musetti, 4‑1, 4‑2.
• Errani/Vavassori edged Muchová/Rublev, 4‑1, 5‑4.
• Collins/Harrison advanced over Townsend/Shelton, 4‑1, 5‑4.

Semifinals stage:

• Swiatek/Ruud edged past Pegula/Draper in dramatic fashion: after splitting sets, they triumphed 10‑8 in the match tiebreak, after being down 4‑8.
• Errani/Vavassori delivered a composed performance, dispatching Collins/Harrison 4‑2, 4‑2.

The Final: Experience vs. Star Power

In a thrilling final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the doubles specialists Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori defended their crown against the formidable Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud (third seeds), prevailing 6‑3, 5‑7, [10‑6].

The match became a showcase of doubles craft when Errani and Vavassori raced out with an early lead in the match tiebreak, then held firm despite an aggressive push from their singles‑star opponents. Amid jubilant celebrations, Vavassori lifted Errani, who was visibly emotional, marking her ninth career Grand Slam doubles title and third mixed doubles major. The Italians earned a whopping $1 million, a dramatic jump from the previous year’s mixed doubles purse.

Significance and Aftermath

This revamped format, designed to attract top singles names and heighten fan interest, succeeded in delivering drama and attention, even as doubles specialists ultimately triumphed. Many singles stars like Alcaraz, Raducanu, Djokovic, Osaka, and Medvedev were eliminated early, but their presence boosted visibility. The main draw matches of the US Open begin on Sunday, August 24, 2025.