ATP stars hope to 'put asses in seats' at new-look US Open mixed doubles

There's an undeniable buzz around the US Open's revamped mixed doubles event.

Several of the world's top men's and women's singles players are among the 16 pairings that will battle for a major title and $1-million prize. Eight teams received a direct entry into the draw based on their combined singles ranking, while the other eight duos were granted wild cards.

Frances Tiafoe is among the stars who will take part in the competition, which is slated for Aug. 19-20 at Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium during US Open Fan Week.

Tiafoe is teaming up with good friend Madison Keys. He expressed respect for the specialists who usually make up the bracket, but he believes the participation of so many notable singles players will have a "monumental" impact on the profile of mixed doubles tennis.

"We're gonna put asses in the seats, man," Tiafoe told theScore. "The fans want to watch people they know and who they see play in singles, even though we don't play doubles as great as the doubles guys. We gotta give those doubles guys respect. They play quality doubles because that's what they do. Same thing with us in singles. ...

"You're going to be glued watching every match because you've just got names on names. So if I'm a regular average tennis fan, I get to see (Carlos) Alcaraz before the (singles) tournament. I get to see (Jannik) Sinner ... (Taylor) Fritz, (Elena) Rybakina, (Jessica) Pegula. It's gonna be sick."

Moving the mixed doubles competition to the first week of the tournament rather than its usual second week appealed to many singles players, including Holger Rune, who'll play alongside Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova.

"It's usually where you need more rest than playing," Rune said. "I think it's a fun idea to do it in the preparation week."

Competitors who advance to the semifinals and final will get at least four days of rest before singles play starts in Flushing Meadows. The mixed doubles tournament won't be as physically taxing, either. Every match leading up to the final will be a best-of-three sets played to four games with no-ad scoring, tiebreakers at four-all, and a 10-point match tiebreaker instead of a third set. The championship matchup will consist of sets maxing out at six games and tiebreakers at six-all, but the rest of the format will stay the same.

Ben Shelton was unsure if he'd throw his hat in the ring given all his pre-tournament responsibilities. But the rising star was ultimately drawn in by all the marquee singles players who'd committed.

Shelton will reunite with World No. 1 doubles player Taylor Townsend. The all-American tandem initially joined forces at the 2023 US Open, making a run to the mixed doubles semifinals in their original format.

"She's the best female doubles player in the world. She's the best mixed doubles player in the world, in my opinion," Shelton said. "I was lucky to get her as a partner. I don't know if anyone else talked to her. She told me that the only person she would play with is me, and I told her that the only person I would play with is her."

Alex de Minaur lobbied for one of two remaining wild cards after the initial 14 mixed doubles teams were revealed, but was ultimately unsuccessful in his bid to get into the bracket.

The five-time major quarterfinalist was hoping to have the rare opportunity of playing alongside his fianceé, Katie Boulter.

The Hopman Cup, United Cup, and Summer Olympics are the only events outside of the Grand Slams that have a mixed doubles component. However, De Minaur and Boulter can't team up in any of those competitions because they hail from different countries.

In their lone tournament as a mixed doubles pair at Wimbledon in 2023, they received a wild card and defeated Aussie duo John Peers and Storm Hunter in their opening match before falling in the second round.

"One of the most enjoyable moments I've had on a tennis court was playing Wimbledon mixed doubles with her. It was pretty damn cool," De Minaur said. "So I would love to go back and play again. And to play such an exciting event with the world's best tennis players would be pretty cool."

Not every team has an extensive history. Two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud was pleasantly surprised when Iga Swiatek reached out to see if he'd be interested in partnering up.

They were on opposite sides of a memorable mixed doubles tilt at the United Cup in December. With Ruud and Norway leading 4-3 in the 10-point match tiebreaker, Swiatek leveled the score for Poland with a wicked cross-court forehand winner to cap an extended rally.

The six-time Slam winner's heroics were pivotal as Poland eventually completed the comeback.

When Swiatek and Ruud met at the net for a postmatch handshake, she expressed admiration for his forehand.

"There's this rally … in the match tiebreaker where we're rallying forehands cross court and she ends up beating me, which shows how good she is from the baseline," Ruud recalls. "I think from there it was just a really fun match and maybe she remembered that. ... I was happy to say yes."

The ATP stars' excitement for the new-look US Open mixed doubles championships is evident. But make no mistake: many of them are aiming to be the last team standing.

Taylor Fritz captured the Eisenhower Cup - a mixed doubles exhibition event - with Elena Rybakina at Indian Wells in March and is intent on another win.

"I think everyone's going to be really serious, to be honest," Fritz said.

He added, "We're not showing up there to mess around. I can't speak for everyone, but I know Elena and myself are definitely there to win."

Tiafoe's got his eyes on the cash prize and doesn't want to give his opponents any bulletin-board material.

"(Keys and I) need to get our shit together," Tiafoe said. "We need to figure out this mixed (doubles), man. I'm trying to get to the money, and so we've been trash-talking ourselves.

"I think everyone is gonna try hard. There's a lot of money being moved around for this thing. This is serious. I'm not talking shit ... but I definitely want to get paid for sure."