Alex de Minaur is excited by the new US Open mixed doubles format and has indicated he will compete alongside his fiancée, Katie Boulter.
The US Open tournament organizers caused controversy by radically altering its mixed doubles format for this year. It will be held over two days during the fan week instead of its usual slot with the singles and other doubles events.
There will be 16 teams, eight of them wild cards and the other eight decided by a combined singles ranking. That means there may be no doubles specialists in the draw, some of whom relied on mixed doubles to help make a living from the sport.
Although the move was condemned by many doubles players, some singles players have supported it. Taylor Fritz said he might play in the new mixed doubles format, and Reilly Opelka, who wants doubles removed completely, sarcastically said he always thought mixed doubles was an exhibition.
While de Minaur did not express the same vitriol for doubles specialists as Opelka, the Australian is excited by the format and outlined how the previous one made it almost impossible for men’s singles players to compete in it.
“If I’m looking purely at myself and the situation I’m in, it does present an opportunity for me to play mixed doubles, which in previous years I probably wouldn’t have done just because as the format is right now for a singles player, you’re not really going to play mixed doubles because your priority is obviously the singles.”
“The way it’s proposed now, it definitely entices a lot more of the singles players to play, and it’s an opportunity.”
De Minaur enjoys playing in mixed doubles when he has an opportunity and said he looked forward to playing some with Boulter. While not a direct confirmation that they would play in the US Open mixed doubles, it sounded more likely than not.
“Me personally, I really enjoy playing mixed doubles, so I think it’s going to be fun to hopefully play some mixed with Katie, which will be exciting.”
Last year’s Canadian Open runner-up thinks he and Boulter have learned from watching each other on the ATP and WTA Tours and believes it helps each other to give advice and support during matches.
“I feel like I’ve watched so many matches on the WTA Tour just by, yeah, watching Katie, right? I think we’ve both learned a lot from each other’s tours. Before we were together, we probably didn’t know as much.”
“It’s been kind of fun to have those two dynamics. We bounce off each other: she gives me advice, I give her advice. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t. It’s all with a good heart.”
Although many understandably sympathize with doubles specialists who the US Open’s change will harm, it seems inevitable that more singles players participating in mixed doubles will generate more interest among fans.
De Minaur and Boulter being engaged would only add to that interest if they elect to play in the 2025 US Open mixed doubles.
