It makes no sense to hold an event without allowing everyone to play," Mladenovic and Roger-Vasselin's outburst over mixed doubles at the US Open
Specialists in doubles, Mladenovic and Roger-Vasselin were surprised by how the US Open completely revamped the mixed doubles format for the 2025 edition. In an interview with Eurosport, they spoke bluntly:
K.M.: "In terms of business strategy, it's a brilliant idea. But from a sporting perspective, it's problematic because it touches the very essence of tennis. A Grand Slam is a competition rooted in history, in singles and doubles. And now, suddenly, doubles becomes a glorified exhibition without anyone having a say. There’s no issue with organizing such an event, but above all, don’t call it a Grand Slam!"
E.R.V.: "No one was consulted—that’s the scariest part. Personally, I found out a week before it hit the media. It’s obvious people would rather watch Alcaraz play than me. But the way it’s done is a bit shocking. Once again, the takeaway is that the Grand Slams truly do whatever they want. Messing with mixed doubles might not seem like a big deal to most people. But what’s next?"
K.M.: "When we hear Alcaraz or others say they’re going to have fun while preparing for the US Open, it’s unsettling. A Grand Slam isn’t preparation or fun. It’s years of sacrifice. When you’re young, you dream of winning one, even in doubles. You don’t want to see your sport turn into a massive show, even if it will bring in huge amounts of money."
E.R.V.: "It makes no sense to hold an event without allowing everyone to play—or more accurately, without giving everyone a fair chance to enter," says Roger-Vasselin. "It’s a shame because I would’ve loved the opportunity to play against Alcaraz and Raducanu. But unless I convince Coco Gauff to partner with me—in which case I might have a shot at a wild card—I’m not even given that chance. The best idea might have been to 'mix' both specialists and stars."
K.M.: "Now, seeing the prize money offered to players who don’t need it but will gladly take it is a bit disturbing. Lately, it feels like everything is spiraling in all directions, and we wonder where our sport is headed. What’s so broken that we always want to change everything? It’s a shame we don’t have a foundation, some higher authority in charge of protecting tennis’s history and traditions.
