British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Week 34 - US Open - Flushing Meadows, New York, NY, USA (hard) - MIXED DOUBLES

Var · Futures qualifying

Some chat on other sites that Jack is still carrying an arm injury? Didnt see the match but maybe someone can comment?

korriban · Challenger level

I stayed up and watched the entire match. The standard was exceptionally poor in terms of doubles play. Jack didnt play as well as he did the previous day, but fortunately for him Jessica was by some distance the best player on court. Which is testament to her extensive doubles history.

There were times when Jack looked like a fish out of water, compared to the rest (and Ruud and Swiatek werent exactly brilliant). He must have missed 7 or 8 absolute sitter volleys over the course of the match, a number of which were decisive between winning and losing games. And his overhead play was weak and tentative. And his decision making on when and how to intercept was, at times, quite hard to watch - he looked like someone who knows precisely what he should be doing, but didnt have the experience to do it well - even at the back of the court he was often in no mans land for no particular reason. Jack was carried by Pegula throughout, but unfortunately her level dropped a little as the match wore on and that was why they turned a winning position into a loss.

I didnt spot any particular problems with Jacks physicality. He was ripping returns and served very well.

For what its worth Id be in favour of an invitational exhibition event with the singles stars during qualies, whilst retaining the mixed doubles in its previous form. Im glad the professional doubles team won (easily), which reinforces the point that this style gimmick event should not bestow a grand slam title on the winners

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Not sure Emma fully appreciates the soft spot many (most?) Wimbledon fans have for the mixed event in its current form. If the comments on this board are anything to go by, the format tried out by the USO would bomb at Wimbledon. I, for one, would not waste my time watching it, assuming the Beeb made coverage available.

christ · Futures level

Where would they play it at Wimbledon?

(I hope that question isn't as stupid as it sounds)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I think it needs to be looked at from different lens. The lens many of us have is one of history,
Heritage, conservatism, fairness maybe.

That history isnt held so dearly in the US, and the lens is one of commerciality and audience.

The old way may be held dearly - but really it attracted nothing commercially at all. Who goes to the US Open to watch mixed? And the TV never showed it. The new format brought in 78,000 fans and had full ESPN tv coverage. And lots of ancillary press and comment.

That was why they did it and, from that perspective, it was a big success. It will be here to stay; it may get tweaked in terms of format, but it will stay.

And the AO will do something similar - probably different, but similar. And maybe not this year, but soon.

And then the French will move and do something. Not as radical, but something different to now.

And Wimbledon will change, last , but it will change. And maybe not like this was, but different to now. And lets not forget, Wimbledon already moved a little by playing finals for mixed on a Thursday and trying to give it some space to shine, whether that worked is another matter.

But, the cat is out of the bag. Personally, I didnt like it. Not many here did. But its here to stay.

Whether we will all come to regard it as a grand slam status event in the future, we will see. Wikipedia, for one, recognises it

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_Open_mixed_doubles_champions

9vicman · Futures qualifying

I don't think Australia will do it. They already have the United Cup, and unlike the USTA, won't be wanting to cannibalise their own events played during qualifying week in which a lot of the top stars play.

christ · Futures level

JonH comes home wrote:
I think it needs to be looked at from different lens. The lens many of us have is one of history,
Heritage, conservatism, fairness maybe.

That history isnt held so dearly in the US, and the lens is one of commerciality and audience.

For me history, heritage, conservatism, fairness trump (heh) commerciality and audience. I understand that (some of) the players may think it is a good idea (lots of money for not much work), so I think that the new type of tournament may have its place, but it should be sold as a "warm-up exhibition", not as a Grand Slam event.

PS - The US of A has a long history of successfully commercialising events in a way that the rest of the world hasn't yet managed (qv Olympics, World Cup) - just because 78,000 Americans turned up and made it a "commercial success" (Q: How, if it was free? I presume the TV channels over there contributed a shedload of money - in which case the actual audience is a matter of sublime indifference) doesn't mean that it would be a commercial success anywhere else.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

christ wrote:
PS - The US of A has a long history of successfully commercialising events in a way that the rest of the world hasn't yet managed (qv Olympics, World Cup) - just because 78,000 Americans turned up and made it a "commercial success" (Q: How, if it was free? I presume the TV channels over there contributed a shedload of money - in which case the actual audience is a matter of sublime indifference) doesn't mean that it would be a commercial success anywhere else.

I've never forgotten that t-shirt Daley Thompson wore after he won his second decathlon gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984: "Thanks America for a good games and a great time" on the front & on the back "But what about the TV coverage?". biggrin

SuperT · Futures level

christ wrote:
Where would they play it at Wimbledon?

(I hope that question isn't as stupid as it sounds)

I think Chris's point is that this format couldn't possibly work at Wimbledon as long as qualifying is played elsewhere. All the GS events have to be played during the main two week period so the top singles players just wouldn't be interested in playing Mixed.

indiana · Tennis legend

Hmm, FIFA World Cup 2026 and Olympics 2028 in the US in the next few years. And that President ( saw him share the winner's podium with the bemused Chelsea players after the Club World Cup Final ).

I want to enjoy both. Don't spoil them, America!

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 23rd of August 2025 02:09:32 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
Hmm, FIFA World Cup 2026 and Olympics 2028 in the US un the next few years. And that President.

I want to enjoy both. Don't spioil them, America!

the Olympics has gone down that commercial route by bringing in sports like three a side basketball, or rugby sevens - which are , to me, not serious forms of their sport and exist just to box them into tighter TV friendly packages.

48 teams in the football already spoils it for me, volume and structure just dilute the product.- 32 get through - really?!

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 23rd of August 2025 01:25:44 PM

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 23rd of August 2025 01:26:05 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
indiana wrote:
Hmm, FIFA World Cup 2026 and Olympics 2028 in the US un the next few years. And that President.

I want to enjoy both. Don't spioil them, America!
the Olympics has gone down that commercial route by bringing in sports like three a side basketball, or rugby sevens - which are , to me, not serious forms of their sport and exist just to box them into tighter TV friendly packages.

48 teams in the football already spoils it for me, volume and structure just dilute the product.- 32 get through - really?!

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 23rd of August 2025 01:25:44 PM

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 23rd of August 2025 01:26:05 PM

The 48 teams is nothing to do with the US. As long as matches, in particular the later stages, are played at sensible times on pitches fit for purpose ( and lessons learned from the Club World Cup ) it can still be excellent. As can the Olympics in the sports people want to watch ( the traditional big ones that will still exist for many and the newer ones for some to be engaged with or not, folk's choice ).

Both the World Cup and Olympics still will have the competition to be great events. But how staged can make some difference. I'll certainly be following both with huge interest.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
indiana wrote:
Hmm, FIFA World Cup 2026 and Olympics 2028 in the US un the next few years. And that President.

I want to enjoy both. Don't spioil them, America!
the Olympics has gone down that commercial route by bringing in sports like three a side basketball, or rugby sevens - which are , to me, not serious forms of their sport and exist just to box them into tighter TV friendly packages.

48 teams in the football already spoils it for me, volume and structure just dilute the product.- 32 get through - really?!

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 23rd of August 2025 01:25:44 PM

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 23rd of August 2025 01:26:05 PM
The 48 teams is nothing to do with the US. As long as matches, in particular the later stages, are played at sensible times on pitches fit for purpose ( and lessons learned from the Club World Cup ) it can still be excellent. As can the Olympics in the sports people want to watch ( the traditional big ones that will still exist for many and the newer ones for some to be engaged with or not, folk's choice ).
Both the World Cup and Olympics still will have the competition to be great events. But how staged can make some difference. I'll certainly be following both with huge interest.

And I will and do - of course. I just think both have gone down commercial routes, for good or bad. i agree US didnt make those decisions - indeed World Cup is in 3 countries, and the one after that is in 3 countries with some teams crossing the world! Haha.

emmsie69 · Top national player

I think Rugby 7s sits well in the Olympics. It enables smaller nations to compete and does what it should be doing which is bring new players and audience to the game, unlike the US Open mixed doubles which behaved like a closed shop.