US Open's reimagined mixed doubles puts singles stars in spotlight

NEW YORK :The U.S. Open's experiment to bring a bigger spotlight to the mixed doubles kicks off on Tuesday, as the competition gets its own place on the calendar and organisers lure in fans with partnerships made up of top singles players.

Beloved by diehard fans but often lost in a schedule which is dominated by singles action, this year's mixed doubles begins five days before the main draw with a sellout crowd expected at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Past U.S. Open singles champions Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz will play together while six-times Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek joins forces with 2022 finalist Casper Ruud, in a star-studded lineup that fans scarcely could have imagined before.

The format was overhauled to feature 16 teams - half as many as competed a year ago - with eight entries based on combined singles rankings of players and eight wildcards.

The fan response has been positive, and prices for a pair of courtside seats at Wednesday's semis and final were listed for upwards of $500 on the secondary ticket platform StubHub as of Monday.

"While not everyone loves change, I think we've mostly seen that fans are really excited to see these top singles' players compete together," Eric Butorac, the tournament's senior director for player relations and business development, told Reuters.

Organisers were inspired to pursue the new format after watching retired greats Serena Williams and Andy Murray play together in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2019, a dream pairing that got the attention of fans and the media.

Other sports have gotten the message, too: Golf, athletics and swimming added mixed events to their Olympic agenda while the addition of WNBA sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu to the NBA 3-Point Challenge last year