NEW YORK — The U.S. Open is including a qualifying spherical to its combined doubles match, a lift for conventional doubles specialists who largely sat out final yr’s match in favor of singles stars.
The US Tennis Affiliation introduced Thursday that an eight-team qualifying match will probably be held on Aug. 24, with every workforce competing for the ultimate two spots within the 16-team match.
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassoli received their second consecutive title in New York final yr, however they have been the one true doubles workforce within the match and, regardless of being the defending champions, wanted a wild card to get revenge. Eight groups certified primarily based on the gamers’ mixed singles rankings, with the remaining groups receiving wild playing cards.
The USTA revamped the occasion final yr, shifting it to the start of the match. Doubles gamers criticized the format as an exhibition designed to exclude them, particularly for the reason that prize cash awarded to the winner was $1 million, a lot larger than standard.
The combined doubles first spherical and quarterfinals will probably be held on August twenty fifth, and the semifinals and finals will probably be held on August twenty sixth.
