Criticism of the US Open mixed doubles returns: "It's unfair, they just want to make money"
Alize Cornet, retired exactly a year ago, harshly criticizes the US Open and the new format introduced for mixed doubles. The Frenchwoman believes that the only goal of all this is to make money.
The new mixed doubles format introduced by the US Open in 2025 continues to spark debate. Now that we are already immersed in its second edition, it would almost be news not to find new comments from various specialists in the field opposing it. The latest critical voice has come from Alizé Cornet.
The former French player believes that the new format directly harms those who have dedicated their entire careers to doubles. The organization’s idea is to concentrate the tournament over just three days, during the week leading up to the singles draw, and turn it into one of the major attractions of the event. This year, the lineup will also feature powerful figures like Novak Djokovic playing alongside Aryna Sabalenka, or Carlos Alcaraz partnering with Serena Williams. We will also see Alexander Zverev alongside Taylor Townsend.
Alizé Cornet criticizes the new mixed doubles format and proposes an alternative
That is precisely where the problem lies for Cornet. The French player believes that the commercial appeal of the event is overshadowing the competitive essence of a discipline that has its own specialists. “Why don’t they just make it an exhibition? We don’t have to mix everything. This is really about making money,” she questioned in statements reported by Eurosport.
Her criticism particularly targets the way to enter the draw, where individual rankings and invitations from the organization hold significant weight. Here, Cornet focuses on those players who build their careers around doubles. “This is their livelihood throughout the year, and they work very hard for it. This is unfair,” she argued. The problem is not new. Laura Siegemund, the tournament champion in 2016, had already denounced last year that the tournament was turning a serious competition into a “showevent.”
However, with the numbers in hand, the reality is that everything plays in favor of the organization. This new format received an enormous response from the public in 2025 and allowed Arthur Ashe Stadium to be filled throughout all its sessions. Additionally, the prize for the winning couple reaches one million dollars, a figure that helps explain the commercial dimension of the project.
The paradox is clear, and that is why this debate will never end. While the big stars enjoy a different showcase and the public responds, doubles specialists feel that their own discipline is being transformed into a product aimed at other names. The mixed doubles at the US Open has found its formula to generate anticipation; the question is whether it can do so without losing along the way those who have devoted their lives to defending this format.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Vuelven las críticas al dobles mixtos del US Open: "Es injusto, solo quieren ganar dinero”