Remember when Taylor Fritz made a bold proposal back in March? After winning the Eisenhower Cup 2025, a mixed doubles event at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden with Elena Rybakina, the American No. 1 couldn’t help but wonder what pairing up with the Kazakh on a grander scale would be like. He said, “I thought she played great last night. She did everything that I would, I guess, everything I could ask of a mixed doubles partner. I think it’s a good fit. Yeah, I asked her to play because I was looking for a US Open mixed partner, and she said that she wants to.” After embracing the new US Open mixed doubles format, Fritz got his wish just earlier this month! He’ll be playing with Rybakina in New York this August.

On June 17, the US Open announced a star-studded mixed doubles lineup! From Jannik Sinner and Emma Navarro to Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz, and of course, the star couple Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas, they’re all ready to take on the challenge. This two-day event offers a grand prize of $1 million! Fritz is doing well on grass, boosting his confidence by the minute.

Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference for Wimbledon, Taylor Fritz confirmed he’s excited to team up with Rybakina. He said, “I’d say I think I’m a bit of a mixed doubles specialist; I’m not going to lie. I think my record in mixed doubles kind of speaks for itself. In United Cup I don’t think I’ve ever lost a mixed doubles match. I think I’ve won the Indian Wells thing twice.” And it’s true!

Taylor Fritz has already proven his prowess in New York, reaching the Grand Slam final last year before Sinner took the title. His performance was applaudable, especially after also making the ATP final. This year, after a slow start to 2025, he picked himself up on grass courts following a tough early exit at Roland Garros. He won titles at the Boss Open and, for the fourth time in a row, the Eastbourne Open this week! That’s his singles success. On the doubles front, he’s always been dynamite.

He reached the quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in mixed doubles and notably clinched the 2025 Eisenhower Cup with Elena Rybakina. He also played a key role in the United States’ triumphs at the United Cup in 2023 and 2025, forming a strong partnership with Coco Gauff. Together, they secured crucial wins, including a decisive victory over Canada in 2025.

As Fritz emphasized, “For whatever reason, I enjoy playing mixed doubles. It is good for me. I think that we are probably. I think that we’re one of the teams to beat.” He couldn’t play mixed doubles at the US Open last year due to a conflict with singles. But now, with the new format, he’s all in.

Taylor Fritz was one of the few in support of the new mixed doubles format

In February 2025, the US Open dropped a surprise with a fresh mixed doubles format. Now held during Fan Week, the event features just 16 teams—half picked by combined singles rankings, the rest wild cards. Matches use the speedy “Fast Four” scoring, where sets go to 4 games with a tiebreak at 4-4. While legends like Rennae Stubbs slammed it as an “exhibition” rather than a real Grand Slam, Fritz welcomed the change. He said, “Mixed doubles, as it was, isn’t adding that much to the Slams,” and fans love seeing top singles stars team up.

The prize money has jumped from $200,000 last year to a massive $1 million for the winners. But it’s unclear if earlier rounds will pay out. Stubbs wasn’t convinced and spoke out on her podcast: “It’s not during the tournament and it feels like a complete sideshow. It now feels like an exhibition of a mixed doubles event. That’s what it feels like.” She worries this shift takes away the true meaning of a major title, adding, “That to me is not okay when it comes to handing out a grand slam title at the end of the day.”

Critics piled on. Paul McNamee, former World No.1 and 24-time Grand Slam doubles champ, tweeted, “Sets to four games in a Grand Slam? 16 teams, with eight based on singles rankings and eight wildcards. I’m sorry, but the US Open now will not produce a bona fide mixed doubles winner.” Last year’s champs, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, called it a “profound injustice,” accusing organizers of prioritizing profit over tradition. They said, “Making decisions just following the logic of profit is profoundly wrong in some situations.”

Still, the hype is real for August’s event. The star-studded lineup promises fierce battles. With Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina teaming up, fans are buzzing. Will they take home the $1 million prize? What’s your take? Drop your thoughts in the comments!