Nick Kyrgios, Naomi Osaka team up in star-studded new US Open mixed doubles format

Nick Kyrgios and Naomi Osaka are among the high wattage pairs on the preliminary entry list for the reimagined US Open mixed doubles tournament in August.

The New York grand slam tournament is vowing to supercharge interest in the format and the sport's biggest stars are on board.

Australia's Kyrgios and Japan's Osaka have long been friendly and attended a LA Lakers NBA game together in 2023.

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Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu will also compete together for a trophy at Flushing Meadows along with Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe, and Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud.

"I just asked Emma if she wants to play doubles with me – I made that special request," French Open champion Alcaraz told reporters.

"She's going to be the boss. I've known Emma for a really long time and I have a really good relationship with her. We will try to win. But obviously it's going to be really, really fun."

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Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur hasn't entered as yet, but said on Tuesday that he and his British fiancee Kate Boulter are planning on doing so.

"We're definitely going to be keen to try and play if they allow us to and if they want us to," he said.

"If that's an option, then we'll definitely be up for it."

Ten of the top 11 women in the WTA singles rankings - Coco Gauff, who just won the French Open for her second Grand Slam title, is the only one missing - and 10 of the top 11 men on the ATP tour, including No.1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, have registered to compete for the $1.54 million top prize that will be split by the winners, a $1.23m increase over last year.

"Look at the field we have," said Stacey Allaster, who's in her final year as US Open tournament director.

"It is going to be fantastic for the fans."

Others on the list: Sinner and Emma Navarro, Djokovic and Olga Danilovic, Zheng Qinwen and Jack Draper, Jasmine Paolini and Lorenzo Musetti, Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul, Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev, Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov, Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas, Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev, Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton, and 2024 US Open mixed doubles champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.

It's a star-studded group that is a far cry from the mix of doubles specialists usually found in a grand slam mixed doubles bracket.

Some criticised the changes when they were announced in February, with Errani and Vavassori calling the new format a "pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show" that would shut out doubles players.

This time, there are 10 major singles champions hoping to play, with Djokovic, Osaka, Alcaraz, Raducanu, Sinner, Sabalenka, Swiatek and Medvedev all past winners at Flushing Meadows.

Pegula and Fritz were last year's singles runners-up in New York, while Ruud, Zverev and 2025 Australian Open champion Keys also have been finalists at the US Open.

"There is nothing I've been more excited about, energised about, than this event and what it will represent for the sport going forward: an opportunity to innovate and present the sport differently," said Lew Sherr, who recently announced he'll be leaving as chief executive of the US Tennis Association to become president of business operations with the New York Mets.

"It's the only sport of any significance (with) men and women on the same field of play, at the same time, competing all out against one another."

The mixed doubles event is shrinking from 32 pairs to 16, and there is a shortened format - first-to-four-games sets until the final; no-ad scoring; match tiebreakers instead of a third set.

Players still have time to sign up before the July 28 cutoff, and there is no guarantee that the 16 teams announced will actually be in the draw in New York.

The top eight teams based on their combined singles ranking will automatically get into the field and the other eight pairings will receive wild cards determined by a USTA committee.

"Once there was an understanding of what the event was, (players) went and ran with it," said Eric Butorac, USTA senior director of player relations and business development.

"They found their own partners - whether it was a friendship, a countryman or some even teaming up with a partner that they have off the court."