The US Open has received strong criticism following its decision to hold its mixed doubles competition as a standalone event before the start of the Slam from 2025.

Organisers said it hoped the move would encourage top singles players to participate in the mixed doubles, which will be held over two days in the week leading up to the start of the main draw in New York.

However, the decision has been described as a “profound injustice” by last year’s winners Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori amid a backlash from players.

The US Open mixed doubles will be held on 19-20 August, before the hard-court Slam – which from this year is expanding to a 15-day event – begins on Sunday, 24 August.

“Making decisions just following the logic of profit is profoundly wrong in some situations,” Italians Errani and Vavassori said in a joint statement.

“In the last few weeks we received the news that the US Open mixed doubles tournament will be completely turned upside down, cancelled and replaced with a pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show.

“We see it as a profound injustice that disrespects an entire category of players. We don’t know at the moment if we’ll have the chance to defend our title but we hope this remains an isolated case.”

The US Open organisers said the change would allow “the sport’s biggest stars” to participate in mixed doubles and claimed “excitement is high among the game’s stars who have already expressed intent to compete” in the new format.

American players Taylor Fritz, the men’s world number four, and Jessica Pegula, fifth in the women’s rankings, have both expressed their intention to participate, while Holger Rune replied to the US Open’s announcement on X saying “Interesting”.