The tennis world is abuzz with excitement as Carlos Alcaraz, the five-time Grand Slam champion, and Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open winner, have teamed up for the revamped mixed doubles event at the 2025 US Open, scheduled for August 19-20. The announcement, made during Alcaraz’s campaign at the Queen’s Club Championships on June 17, 2025, has sparked anticipation for a dynamic partnership that promises to light up Flushing Meadows. In a playful press conference after his 6-4, 7-6(4) first-round win over Adam Walton, Alcaraz revealed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, humorously declaring, “She’s gonna be the boss!” The Spaniard’s lighthearted comment about Raducanu leading their on-court strategy has only heightened the intrigue surrounding this star-studded pairing, which headlines a new-look tournament designed to showcase tennis’s biggest names.
The US Open’s mixed doubles event, reimagined as a standalone spectacle before the main draw begins on August 24, features a fast-paced format with 16 teams competing for a $1 million prize. Alcaraz, fresh off his epic Roland Garros victory over Jannik Sinner and a 14-match winning streak, initiated the partnership by personally reaching out to Raducanu. “Yeah, I mean, the tournament told us about the mixed tournament. I was thinking that I couldn’t play better if it wasn’t with Emma. I just asked Emma if she wants to play doubles with me. Yeah, I made that special request,” he said, grinning. Raducanu, the British No. 1, took “a little bit” of time to consider, as Alcaraz noted with a laugh, “She had to think a little bit. But it wasn’t a minute, so…” Their long-standing acquaintance, built through shared moments at tournaments like the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup in Malaga, has fueled excitement about their potential chemistry.
This pairing is a coup for the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which revamped the event to attract top singles players. “We wanted to reimagine the mixed doubles of the US Open as a spectacle where the best rackets in the world compete against each other, and we have achieved it,” said USTA CEO Lew Sherr. The entry list boasts nine of the top 10 men and women, including pairings like Jannik Sinner with Emma Navarro, Novak Djokovic with Olga Danilovic, and Naomi Osaka with Nick Kyrgios. The format—best-of-three sets up to four games, with no-ad scoring and a 10-point tiebreak for deciders—promises high-intensity action. Alcaraz and Raducanu, with a combined singles ranking that secures their direct entry, are among the favorites, though they face stiff competition from teams like Jack Draper and Zheng Qinwen or Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Alcaraz’s admiration for Raducanu extends beyond the court. His support during her controversial withdrawal from a 2024 Wimbledon mixed doubles match with Andy Murray—where she prioritized her singles campaign—earned fans’ respect. “She had her reasons to do it,” Alcaraz said at the time, empathizing with her decision. Raducanu, in turn, has praised Alcaraz’s dynamic style, admitting she’s tried to emulate his shots. “The last couple matches I’ve been following Carlos and it’s just good to watch before my own match,” she said during Wimbledon 2024, where she reached the Round of 16. Their mutual respect, combined with Alcaraz’s “golden retriever energy,” as fans describe his infectious enthusiasm, has sparked playful speculation about their off-court bond, though both have dismissed romantic rumors. “I don’t know if she came to see me,” Alcaraz said after his 2024 Wimbledon final win, where Raducanu was spotted in the stands. “You have to question her, but I hope she enjoyed the final.”
For Raducanu, the US Open holds special significance as the site of her 2021 breakthrough, where she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam. Her 2025 season, marked by a third-round Australian Open loss and a back injury that forced her withdrawal from Berlin, has been challenging, but her Billie Jean King Cup heroics—leading Britain to the semifinals—signal a resurgence. Alcaraz, meanwhile, is riding high after his fifth major at Roland Garros and a strong Queen’s Club start, where he’s favored to repeat his 2023 title. Their partnership, blending Alcaraz’s explosive athleticism with Raducanu’s tactical finesse, could redefine mixed doubles, drawing millions of fans to a tournament poised to elevate the format’s prestige.
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