Former tennis star Tim Henman has sharply criticized the newly revamped US Open mixed doubles competition, describing the tournament as “disrespectful” and arguing it should not carry Grand Slam status.
The former British No. 1, now a member of Wimbledon’s board of directors, shared his concerns in a wide-ranging interview with Telegraph Sport.
The event, restructured this year to draw more attention from singles fans, included top stars such as Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Jack Draper, and Emma Raducanu.
Organizers lured them in with an eye-catching $1 million prize and the promise of shortened matches using “fast four” rules, first to four games per set, no-ad scoring, and a match tie-break in the third.
Despite the buzz surrounding the singles names, it was the established duo of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori who ultimately triumphed.
The Italian pair, who defended their title, made a statement by defeating Swiatek and Casper Ruud in the final. Their win carried additional weight as they had previously voiced frustration over doubles specialists being sidelined from the revamped format.
Henman calls it a “glorified exhibition”
Henman was blunt in his criticism of the concept, insisting the changes undermine the value of a Grand Slam title.
“Am I excited to watch those players on court? Absolutely,” Henman said. “However I disagree that, a: it’s a grand slam event, and b; with taking it outside of the two weeks (of the tournament) because I think that is disrespectful for the tour events that are taking place on the WTA and ATP Tour in the week before the US Open.
“We’re trying to get the sport to collaborate better. In my opinion, it’s not helpful. I would make it an exhibition.”
The former world No. 4 argued that by altering both the format and the entry system, the event devalues doubles altogether. “This tournament very much devalues the title when it changes the scoring system, and it completely changes the entry system,” Henman added.
His comments echoed the sentiments of other players. Jack Draper, who partnered with Jessica Pegula, even slipped up by calling the event an “exhibition” during an on-court interview, before quickly backtracking.
A rocky start for the experiment
The organizers’ plan nearly unraveled before the competition even began. Several marquee players, including Emma Navarro, Tommy Paul, and Jannik Sinner, withdrew at the last minute to save their energy for the main US Open draw.
Sinner‘s withdrawal came just hours after the Cincinnati final, forcing Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison to be slotted in just before play began.
While the revamped format brought extra star power and fan attention, Henman and others fear that such changes could set a dangerous precedent for the sport.
For traditionalists, the experiment may attract headlines, but at the cost of the credibility that makes Grand Slam titles so meaningful.
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