In a thrilling update ahead of the 2025 US Open, tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed a mixed doubles pairing with British sensation Emma Raducanu. This announcement is part of a star-studded event that will take place on the iconic Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong courts on August 19 and 20, just before tournament qualifiers commence.
Speaking after his straight-sets victory at Queen’s Club over Australia’s Adam Walton, Alcaraz revealed he was the one who reached out to Raducanu for the mixed doubles opportunity. “I couldn’t think of anyone better. I made a special request to Emma,” said the reigning French Open champion and current Wimbledon titleholder.
Although Raducanu didn’t immediately accept the offer, fans are already buzzing about the new pairing, affectionately nicknamed “Alcaranu.” Alcaraz humorously noted, “She didn’t say yes straight away. She had to think about it, but not for long.”
The Spaniard also praised his friendship with Raducanu, stating, “She’s going to be the boss. We’ve known each other a long time, and we’ll give our best to win. But more than anything, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The event will feature an impressive line-up of top tennis talent, including current world No. 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, as well as legendary champions Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek. According to Lew Sherr, the outgoing CEO of the US Tennis Association, this mixed doubles event will mark a significant innovation for tennis: “This is an exciting way to present the sport—men and women competing together, side by side.”
The format for the mixed doubles matches has also been updated. Matches will feature first-to-four-game sets, no-ad scoring, and a match tiebreaker instead of a traditional third set. Players selected their partners based on friendship, national affiliation, or off-court connections, noted Eric Butorac, USTA’s senior director of player relations and business development.
As the 2025 US Open approaches, anticipation is building not just for traditional match-ups but also for this unique and entertaining twist on the competition, with fans eagerly awaiting the debut of the Alcaraz-Raducanu duo on court.
