Yuki Bhambri Reflects on Dubai Success and Critiques US Open’s New Mixed Doubles Format

Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri recently experienced one of the most significant moments of his career, as he claimed his fourth ATP doubles title alongside Australia’s Alexei Popyrin at the Dubai Tennis Championships, an ATP 500 event. 

The duo made a remarkable run, upsetting the world’s top two doubles teams on their way to the title. For Popyrin, ranked 27th in singles, it marked his first-ever doubles victory, while for Bhambri, it was his biggest career achievement so far. This triumph also saw Bhambri make his debut in the ATP Doubles Top 40 rankings.

In an exclusive interview with Sportstar, Bhambri reflected on his title-winning run in Dubai and the challenges that lie ahead as he waits for his regular partner, Andrea Olivetti, to return to action. Bhambri also spoke candidly about the new mixed doubles format announced for the US Open, which has raised concerns among players.

The new mixed doubles format at the US Open will feature 16 teams, with eight direct entries based on combined singles rankings and eight wildcard spots. The matches will be played over two days with shorter formats. Bhambri expressed his reservations about the changes, criticizing the event’s focus on business interests rather than prioritizing the needs of players.

He said, “The US Open is very well aware of the pros and cons of it, and I guess they took the business route. It wasn’t really thinking about who is benefitted from this. They thought about themselves and how it benefits them. This is the new angle they want to go with, where it’s a glorified exhibition because they’ve really made sure that doubles players don’t play that event, allowing singles rankings (for direct entry).”

“They don’t want that chance of having a doubles player playing there, which is unfortunate. They’ve shown that they want to prioritise the business. From a player’s perspective, it is quite disappointing, especially for the Indians who’ve done incredibly well in mixed doubles in the past,” he added.

When asked about communication between the US Open and players regarding this new decision, Bhambri revealed that there was none. “No, there was no communication between players and the ATP or the Grand Slams. The only communication that usually arises is the press releases which you see in the next couple of days once they have decided something,” he added.

While Bhambri celebrates a career milestone, he is also grappling with the broader implications of changes to the tennis landscape that could affect doubles players, particularly in prestigious events like the US Open.