Jessica Pegula is happy about enjoying within the new US Open combined doubles occasion however that doesn't imply she is completely effective with the modifications made, because the American criticized the match organizers over a "rogue" transfer and urged them to subsequent time talk extra with gamers earlier than taking a drastic determination.
After it had been speculated for a while, the US Open organizers formally confirmed it in February once they revealed their utterly revamped combined doubles format. This 12 months, a complete of 16 groups will participate in a two-day occasion – eight groups made the match immediately, whereas eight entered through a wildcard – the main target is on prime singles gamers taking part and the successful duo will take a historic $1 million prize cash.
To ensure they'd have a robust participant discipline consisting of prime ATP and WTA gamers, the organizers determined to schedule the doubles occasion for the qualifying week and that's why the occasion will happen between August 19-20. And so they had been profitable of their aim for the reason that majority of top-10 female and male stars signed up for the occasion.
Nonetheless, it additionally drew a significant backlash from doubles-oriented gamers, who ripped the US Open's transfer as "disrespectful to the sport." Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori – final 12 months's champions – declared the choice "a profound injustice."
Pegula on the US Open combined double format change: Went rogue and altered the format… Did you speak to the gamers?
"I'm honored that they requested me to play. It's going to be nice, it's going to be enjoyable and the followers will actually take pleasure in it. On the similar time, how they went about it, I didn't assume was actually nice … We had been like, +Okay, you guys went rogue and altered the format and didn't inform anyone.' You simply did it," Pegula stated.
"Did you speak to the gamers? Did you get their enter about the way it might be higher? That's one thing that we as gamers try to work with them on, having that line of communication be lots smoother. I really feel like perhaps if there was suggestions concerning the format, then the (response) can be a little bit totally different, not so all over."
In the identical interview, Pegula stated it undoubtedly wasn't an excellent look when some gamers began complaining that they had been stripped of their job and an opportunity to generate profits.
In the meantime, Pegula's US Open combined doubles accomplice is world No. 16 Tommy Paul.
