The tennis world was abuzz with anticipation when Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios, two of the sport’s most charismatic superstars, announced their intention to team up for the revamped mixed doubles event at the 2025 US Open. The dynamic duo, known for their powerful games and off-court synergy, seemed poised to light up Flushing Meadows with their star power. Yet, when the United States Tennis Association (USTA) unveiled the list of 14 confirmed teams for the 16-team tournament, Osaka and Kyrgios were conspicuously absent, leaving fans stunned and sparking widespread speculation. With only two wildcard slots remaining, the reasons behind their exclusion center on Kyrgios’ ongoing injury concerns and the USTA’s strategic focus on balancing star appeal with competitive readiness.
The US Open’s mixed doubles event, reimagined for 2025, is a bold departure from tradition. Scheduled for August 19-20 during Fan Week, before the main singles draws, the tournament features a condensed format with 16 teams—eight qualifying via combined singles rankings and eight via wildcards. Matches are best-of-three sets to four games, with no-ad scoring and a 10-point tiebreak deciding the third set, except in the final, which uses six-game sets. The $1 million prize purse has lured a star-studded field, including Carlos Alcaraz with Emma Raducanu, Jannik Sinner with Emma Navarro, and Novak Djokovic with Olga Danilovic. “Seeing the teams that have already put their names on the entry list makes us all incredibly excited,” said USTA CEO Lew Sherr, emphasizing the event’s appeal to top singles players. The format, designed to avoid taxing players before their singles campaigns, has drawn criticism from doubles specialists like 2024 champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who called it a “pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show.”
Osaka, a two-time US Open singles champion, and Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up, were early entrants, their partnership generating buzz after a successful practice session years ago and their collaboration on the podcast *Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios*. “What other sport in the world can you have your favorite female athlete play with your favorite male athlete and compete for prize money and a Grand Slam trophy?” Kyrgios enthused, predicting they “could do some big things.” Their absence from the confirmed list, however, stems primarily from Kyrgios’ precarious physical condition. The 30-year-old Australian has played just six singles and three doubles matches since 2023, hampered by wrist and knee surgeries. After a recent doubles outing with Gael Monfils at the Citi Open, Kyrgios admitted his knee was “cooked,” raising doubts about his readiness. The USTA, it appears, is holding one of the remaining wildcards pending confirmation of his fitness, a cautious move to ensure competitive integrity.
The decision also reflects the USTA’s delicate balancing act. With high-profile wildcards already awarded to pairs like Alcaraz and Raducanu, Djokovic and Danilovic, and Venus Williams with Reilly Opelka, the organizers prioritized players with recent competitive form or significant fan appeal. Osaka, ranked No. 53 in singles and 57th in doubles, has shown flashes of brilliance in 2025, reaching a final in Auckland and winning a WTA 125 title in Saint-Malo. However, her mid-match retirements due to injuries and a recent coaching split with Patrick Mouratoglou may have tempered expectations. Kyrgios, ranked 633rd in doubles, brings undeniable charisma but limited recent play, making their inclusion a gamble. Former doubles No. 1 Rennae Stubbs questioned their pairing, noting Kyrgios’ sparse competitive schedule and urging transparency on alternate teams.
The remaining wildcard slots could also be reserved for other high-profile pairs, such as Aryna Sabalenka, whose intended partner Grigor Dimitrov withdrew due to a pectoral injury, or Alex de Minaur with Katie Boulter, another omitted duo. The USTA’s strategy leans heavily on attracting casual fans, as evidenced by the inclusion of veterans like Williams, who returned after a year-long hiatus. “It shows that the players are behind what we are trying to do, and we know that the fans will love it,” Sherr said, defending the revamped format. Yet, the exclusion of doubles specialists like Katerina Siniakova and Marcelo Arevalo has fueled debate, with critics arguing the event prioritizes profit over tradition.
As the US Open approaches, Osaka and Kyrgios remain in limbo, their participation hinging on Kyrgios’ recovery and the USTA’s final wildcard decisions. Their absence from the initial list may disappoint fans, but it underscores the challenges of balancing star power with physical readiness in a tournament designed to redefine tennis entertainment. Whether “The Osaka-Kyrgios Show” takes the court or not, their story has already added intrigue to a revolutionary event.
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