On Tuesday, tennis fans reacted with a mix of excitement and surprise as the first 16 teams for the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship were officially revealed. Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu were a pair that stole headlines.
While many fans were thrilled to see the electric duo of Alcaraz and Raducanu unite, others voiced disappointment that Raducanu had not teamed up with fellow Brit and rising star Jack Draper, currently ranked No. 6 on the ATP Tour.
After winning his opening match at the HSBC Championships on Tuesday, Draper was asked about the decision. “Yeah, I mean, a wise person once told me you should find the best partner, and that’s what she did in Alcaraz. I don’t blame her at all for that,” Draper said.
“Yeah, I think she will have a lot of fun playing with Carlos. He’s obviously the best player in the world, probably right now, along with [Jannik] Sinner. Great at doubles, as well. Saw that with Rafa [Nadal] at the Olympics. She’s gone about and chose the best partner, for sure. Hopefully, they do well,” he explained.
Qinwen Zheng will play with Jack Draper (Getty Images)
Though fans may have hoped for an all-British dream team, Draper is set for a strong pairing of his own alongside WTA World No. 4 Qinwen Zheng. “Qinwen I know from the tour. I have seen her around. Obviously a great player herself and has a really good game,” he said about his partner.
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Alcaraz shared how the partnership with Emma Raducanu came to be
Alcaraz and Raducanu have been respectful of each other for years, and fans have been wanting them to play together for a while. The pair already has a name on social media, “Alcaranu.”
“I was thinking that I couldn’t play better if it wasn’t with Emma,” the Spaniard said after defeating the Australian Adam Walton 6-4, 7-6 in the first round at Queen’s Club. “I just asked Emma if she wants to play doubles with me – I made that special request.”
Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu at the Copa Davis/Billie Jean King Cup in 2024 (Getty Images)
Alcaraz added that Raducanu was initially hesitant before saying yes, he recounted with a laugh. “She’s going to be the boss,” he said of the 22-year-old. “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.”
The 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship begins August 19 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where all eyes will be on the new partnerships. However, the tournament hasn’t been without controversy. Several established mixed doubles specialists have criticized the decision to exclude them from the initial lineup, arguing they weren’t even offered a wildcard or a chance to compete. Still, despite the pushback, the new format remains in place, at least for now.
