Reilly Opelka Makes Brutal Comment About Mixed Doubles After Divisive US Open Change
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The 2025 US Open will have a radically altered mixed doubles format that has already caused controversy. However, Taylor Fritz supports the change, and Reilly Opelka made a cutting remark about the previous format.
There was widespread surprise when the US Open announced that the mixed doubles at this year's event would be completed during fan week instead of alongside the singles and other doubles events from August 24th to September 6th.
The mixed doubles will be played on August 19th and 20th with 16 teams. Eight pairs are set to be based on a combined singles ranking, while the others will be wild cards awarded by the tournament organizers.
That is not the only radical change. Sets will be played up to four games instead of six(apart from the final) with no deuces, providing a snappier format that might encourage top singles players to enter since the chances of injuries are reduced.
The US Open's decision led to outrage from many doubles players. 2024 Australian Open mixed doubles champion Jan Zielinski was among those who criticized the decision for not considering the effect on doubles specialists' careers.
By contrast, Opelka had no sympathy whatsoever for those who used mixed doubles to support their careers. The American sarcastically posted on Instagram about being shocked that mixed doubles was not already an exhibition.
"Wait..mixed dubs wasn't always an exhibition"
Anyone thinking that Opelka was making a light-hearted joke without any meaning behind it only needs to look at his past comments, which have been critical and dismissive of doubles players.
Opelka has previously called for doubles at ATP 250 and 500 tournaments to only be played on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday instead of the entire week and thinks only players in the singles draw should enter the doubles.
The huge serving 27-year-old has also dismissed the concept of doubles specialists, arguing that aspiring young players do not dream of just playing doubles and only might do so when realizing they are not good enough for singles.
Last year's US Open runner-up Fritz revealed that he might play in the new format and expects fans to be very excited about seeing some top ATP and WTA singles players competing together in it.
"I think there's a very good chance I'll play in the mixed doubles competition. It falls at a good time and a lot of people are going to be really excited about it. I genuinely love playing mixed doubles, so I think there's a good chance I'll play it."
"For people like me, I'm excited about it and I think it will be a good change, but obviously I'm biased towards it because it's in a better spot for me to play. I'm never going to play it between singles matches at a tournament."
Fritz knows that doubles players are disappointed with the change but said the reality is that the previous mixed doubles format was not generating much excitement among fans.
"I think a lot of doubles players will be upset about it. But at the end of the day, the truth of the matter is that mixed doubles, as it was, did not add much to the Slams. It's not generating a lot of excitement, they're not filling up stadiums and stuff."
"It doesn't need to all be about the money and driving people, but people will be more excited to watch it with the top singles players playing together in the mixed doubles. At the end of the day, fans are going to be more excited."
