Rohan Bopanna slams US Open's Mixed Doubles changes, Cities negative impact on Indian players

The United States Tennis Association has recently unveiled major changes to the US Open's mixed doubles event, slated to take place on August 19, 2025. The Grand Slam is now set to be held during the Fan Week, ahead of the main singles draw, and is set to feature a 16-team format.

Only eight teams will be qualifying based on the combined singles rankings, while the remaining eight teams will get wild card entries. Matches are set to adopt a shorter format, and the final will be played with best-of-three sets to six games.

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Rohan Boppana expressed strong disappointment on US Open changes

After these big changes in the US Open, veteran Indian player Rohan Bopanna has expressed strong opposition to these changes. The former world number one feels that this decision is a big blow for Indian players in the mixed doubles event.

The 2024 Australian Open doubles winner says that Indian players have found huge success in mixed events, and by restricting entry to single-ranked players, the 2025 US Open Mixed doubles effectively sidelines Indian players from the race, denying millions of fans the chance to see their country's players represented in Grand Slams.

Indian tennis ace @rohanbopanna shares his thoughts on yesterday's #USOpen#mixeddoubles announcement from the USTA in my exclusive for @Sportskeedahttps://t.co/1X7tKk6riQ

— HareshRamchandani (@R1979Harry) February 12, 2025

Notably, these changes showcase that this decision comes to elevate the profile of mixed doubles to attract top singles players to the event. Surprisingly, it has sparked controversy among the players, who feel that this new format is crushing the event's prestige and excluding dedicated doubles pairs.

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"India has always found its Grand Slam success in doubles. By restricting entry to singles-ranked players, the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles effectively sidelines India from contention, denying millions of Indian fans the chance to see their country represented on one of tennis' biggest stages.  It dampens the aspirations of countless young athletes who dream of carrying India's legacy forward in Grand Slam tennis. If Indian doubles players can't compete, the very foundation of our tennis culture takes a hit," Bopanna told Sportskeeda in an exclusive.

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