US Open organisers have been criticised for changing the schedule of their mixed doubles competition.

The New York-based tennis Grand Slam tournament announced on Tuesday that the event will no longer be played in the main draw.

Instead, the matches will be contested at their Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums over two days in the week prior, starting in 2025.

August 19 and 20 are the designated dates for the mixed doubles this year before the main draw commences on August 24.

Jessica Pegula, who was a finalist in the 2023 mixed doubles, revealed her backing of the change.

“I appreciate the importance of innovation and exploring new ways to engage more fans and grow our sport,” she said.

However, last year’s champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori have hit back at the decision ahead of the change’s debut later this year.

In a statement via the BBC, the Italians said: “Making decisions just following the logic of profit is profoundly wrong in some situations.

“In the last few weeks we received the news that the US Open mixed doubles tournament will be completely turned upside down, cancelled and replaced with a pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show.

“We see it as a profound injustice that disrespects an entire category of players. We don’t know at the moment if we’ll have the chance to defend our title but we hope this remains an isolated case.”

This year’s US Open mixed doubles will feature 16 teams competing for the winner’s prize of $1million.

Eight of those will be handed a direct entry into the draw, whilst the others will enter as wildcards.

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Matches remain best of three sets but only four games are required to win a set before the final when it increases back to six.

There will be no advantage-scoring, meaning four points must be won for the game, and a 10-point match tiebreak replaces a third set.

Lew Sherr, the USTA [United States Tennis Association] executive director and CEO, said “I could not be more excited to introduce this groundbreaking innovation to the 2025 US Open Championships.

“We’ll be scheduling mixed doubles on the center stage and enabling more fans worldwide to enjoy the thrill of watching their favorite stars compete for this coveted Grand Slam Championship title.

“One of the primary reasons the US Open is among the premier sports events in the world is because it features the best athletes, both male and female, competing on an equal stage.

“By giving the competition its own spotlight, we’re elevating mixed doubles to put an even greater focus on the incredible talent we have across the sport.

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“We’re working closely with top players, many of whom are eager to be part of this historic change.

“And having our broadcasting partners, including ESPN, on board to showcase this innovation only adds to the excitement, ensuring that fans everywhere will get to witness these elite athletes team up and redefine the game together.”