Talk About Tennis 2.0

If nothing else, players get practice on the uso courts..very valuable..
I bet nobody who played this exhibition will be beaten by some random player in the first round!

I am sure this is not the result the USTA wanted! But it is the only right one

meganfernandez wrote: ↑Wed Aug 20, 2025 4:39 pm

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 20, 2025 5:22 am If the stands were full, that is all that matters.
And I do mean it.

Ashe was sold out. They didn't sell tickets to Louis, it was general admission, and it was pretty full. For the regular doubles teams that can participate, it's an improvement - bigger crowds, much more money on the line, not as taxing on the body, good prep for the doubles draw.

It was a nice exo.

But 'defending champions:? They are reigning champions, their crown has been cancelled by the USTA.

Thank God proper doubles team won.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 20, 2025 5:22 am If the stands were full, that is all that matters.
And I do mean it.

Why is that all that matters?

I feel a little compromised having to root for Errani.

So cool for Vavassori and Errani to have this kind of an audience. And I dare say this style of doubles, with some singles players mixed in, might be more entertaining to the average fan because it's not as fast. Points last a little longer. There's more scrambling and improvisation.

I think they were smart to roll it out with as many marquee names as possible. They made a big splash, and that sets it up for success in the coming years.

ti-amie wrote: ↑Thu Aug 21, 2025 1:58 am

FredX wrote: ↑Thu Aug 21, 2025 12:19 pm

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 20, 2025 5:22 am If the stands were full, that is all that matters.
And I do mean it.

Why is that all that matters?

Because, the way I see it, the whole change to the mixed competition was to make it more popular. And if the stands were full, fait accomplie.

Motobass and I just got back from "Fan Week" Saturday afternoon. We went to the Mixed Dubs semis and the final. We enjoyed the event, but it was a bit exhibition-y for us. I agree with Megan, tweaks would be welcome! At least all the current mixed slam champion teams should be invited to play no matter what. Maybe the current top-ranked dubs players as well? Have a round robin? It would have been interesting to see Sinner and Siniakova play, but the risk of a no-show for a top singles player - that seems like it's pretty high and unfair to the doubles player paired with the top singles player. It WAS exciting to see such a big crowd and be a part of it. The crowd really appreciated the best points, and rooted for Swiatek's and Ruud's comeback at the end of the second set in the final with great enthusiasm. We might go again next year. Although I miss the old quallies, straight up, no djs, music, interviews, photo ops, etc, and would prefer to watch the likes of Hsieh Su-Wei or Siniakova paired with their partners when it comes to mixed doubles.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 23, 2025 11:43 am

FredX wrote: ↑Thu Aug 21, 2025 12:19 pm

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 20, 2025 5:22 am If the stands were full, that is all that matters.
And I do mean it.

Why is that all that matters?

Because, the way I see it, the whole change to the mixed competition was to make it more popular. And if the stands were full, fait accomplie.

Agree, that goal was accomplished, but should that be all that matters? The integrity of a sport is maintained by putting the best of that sport in competition, and if you don't, it becomes a joke. If it's just about filling seats, they should replace real wrestling in the Olympics with guys in costumes leaping from the top ropes.

I don't agree that they put fake doubles players; I believe that the singles players that were playing did not really care and were there just to get a little warm up.
I remember when two real singles players played the Olympics and played for real: Roger and Stan got Gold because they played at their real level. Rafa also got gold because he played for real.
So, if doubles players think that they are "real" in a sense that singles players are not, I will believe it when I see a top doubles player go far in a singles draw.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 24, 2025 1:41 pm I don't agree that they put fake doubles players; I believe that the singles players that were playing did not really care and were there just to get a little warm up.
I remember when two real singles players played the Olympics and played for real: Roger and Stan got Gold because they played at their real level. Rafa also got gold because he played for real.
So, if doubles players think that they are "real" in a sense that singles players are not, I will believe it when I see a top doubles player go far in a singles draw.

So you're saying that if the top singles players played at their best, they would win, but what we saw was a bunch of top singles players not taking it seriously and using it as warm-up? I don't see how that makes it any less of a joke.

FredX wrote: ↑Sun Aug 24, 2025 2:29 pm

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 24, 2025 1:41 pm I don't agree that they put fake doubles players; I believe that the singles players that were playing did not really care and were there just to get a little warm up.
I remember when two real singles players played the Olympics and played for real: Roger and Stan got Gold because they played at their real level. Rafa also got gold because he played for real.
So, if doubles players think that they are "real" in a sense that singles players are not, I will believe it when I see a top doubles player go far in a singles draw.

So you're saying that if the top singles players played at their best, they would win, but what we saw was a bunch of top singles players not taking it seriously and using it as warm-up? I don't see how that makes it any less of a joke.

So we are in agreement. It is just that the USO cannot call it a joke, and they did not want to call it an exo, which is what it was.
I don't think that Iga was playing at her top (not that she is good THAT good at doubles because she is not good at the net) and Novak was just testing that leg a bit.
I will believe in doubles' players when I see them also doing well in singles. The sole person that I see doing well in both is Ostapenko; other than that, I am not convinced.