The United States Tennis Association has overhauled the US Open’s mixed-doubles competition, turning it into a two-day, standalone event that precedes the singles draw. The 16-team tournament begins 19 Aug. and will be played exclusively on Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums under a faster format—sets to four games, no-ad scoring and match tiebreaks outside the final—culminating in a record $1 million winners’ cheque. The prize money and clear schedule have lured some of the sport’s biggest singles names. Blockbuster pairings include Emma Raducanu with newly crowned Cincinnati champion Carlos Alcaraz, Venus Williams with Reilly Opelka, Novak Djokovic with Olga Danilovic and Iga Swiatek with Casper Ruud. Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper head the seedings. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, slated to partner Katerina Siniakova, is monitoring an illness that forced him out of Sunday’s Cincinnati final and could yet pull out. The shake-up has angered specialist doubles players who were not invited. Defending champion Sara Errani called the new format “sad” and “nonsense,” while Canada’s Gaby Dabrowski argued it is “not a true mixed doubles championship.” Tournament director Stacey Allaster countered that featuring marquee names will boost interest and insisted the event “is a Grand Slam championship, not an exhibition.” Broadcaster ESPN is also using the reboot to test innovations, including brief end-of-set interviews conducted by 2017 champion Sloane Stephens and former pro Sam Querrey, along with new on-court camera arrays and wearable POV devices. Coverage starts at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPN+.