The revamped US Open mixed doubles championship is generating intense interest among tennis fans. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic have confirmed their participation.
The mixed doubles at this year’s championships will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday of qualifying week (August 19 and 20). It features 16 teams: the top eight teams with the best combined singles ranking and eight wild cards.
Among the plethora of high-profile teams that have confirmed participation, the team of World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and British tennis hope Emma Raducanu is arguably generating the highest interest. Meanwhile, Sinner will battle alongside Emma Navarro, and Djokovic will team up with fellow Serbian Olga Danilovic.
However, some tennis fans have been puzzled by the pairing, as Raducanu could instead have teamed up with Britain’s Jack Draper, the breakout star of men’s tennis this year.
What Jack Draper Has Said About the Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz Pair
Draper, the No. 1-ranked British male player, has praised Raducanu’s decision to play mixed doubles alongside Alcaraz at the US Open tennis championships this year.
“A wise person once told me you should find the best partner, and that’s what she did in Alcaraz,” Draper told the press when asked why he would not be partnering Raducanu. “I don’t blame her at all for that.”
At present, Draper is participating in the HSBC Tennis Championships at Queen’s, London. After dismantling Jenson Brooksby in the first round, the British No. 1 is set to face No. 21 Alexei Popyrin.
Draper went on to suggest that Raducanu would have a “lot of fun” playing with Alcaraz, whom he described as “obviously the best player in the world, probably right now, along with Sinner.”
A STAR-STUDDED 🤩 lineup of teams have officially entered the reimagined US Open Mixed Doubles Championship!
More info: https://t.co/bIMJGbf3qI pic.twitter.com/Hw1yA87pgj
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) June 17, 2025
Draper, who trails the Spaniard 2-4 in the head-to-head, also praised his doubles prowess, noting that he reached the quarterfinals in last year’s Olympic Games partnering compatriot Rafael Nadal.
“She’s gone about and chose the best partner, for sure,” the Brit said of Raducanu.
Raducanu, the US Open champion in 2022, is making a comeback after injuries plagued her career in 2022 and 2023.
In 2022, Raducanu struggled with a recurring wrist problem that cut her season short. The following year, she underwent surgery on both wrists and her left ankle. However, she has returned to the top 40 in the WTA rankings following the setbacks.
Jack Draper Has Revealed How He Found His Partner for the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship
Jack Draper will partner Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen at the US Open Mixed Doubles tournament. Draper revealed that he got in touch with the Chinese tennis sensation through their management firm, IMG.
“I have seen her around,” he said. “Obviously, a great player herself, and has a really good game. I think it will be fun to get out there and play with her and see how we get on.”
Weighing in on the new mixed doubles format at the US Open, the Brit said, “I think it’s a good format for the players to get prepared for the US Open, having a shot at playing with another top player.”