US Open: Alcaraz and Raducanu’s mixed doubles exit was expected — but still exciting

 Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu’s early exit from the US Open wasn’t exactly a shock. Star singles players don’t always make great doubles partners. The last successful pairing of singles champions was the Williams sisters — Serena and Venus — but they had the advantage of playing together since childhood.

So when five-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz and 2021 US Open champion Raducanu teamed up for mixed doubles, the tennis world buzzed with excitement. Even romance rumours briefly swirled, until Raducanu clarified that she’s already in a relationship.

That didn’t stop the Flushing Meadows crowd from cheering them on throughout their loss to Scott Draper and Jessica Pegula, an experienced doubles player. Truth is, no one expected them to win — but they clearly enjoyed themselves.

Doubles is not easy, as Alcaraz and Raducanu discovered. With its sharp angles, reflex volleys, and net play, it’s a different game entirely. That said, several legendary singles players — Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, and more recently Coco Gauff — have thrived in doubles. The common factor? Regular play and steady partners.

That wasn’t the case at the 2025 US Open, which introduced a revamped mixed doubles format. Marketed as a "reimagination" of the format, matches featured four-game sets (except the final) and 10-point tiebreaks — tennis’s answer to cricket’s T20.

Shorter, snappier, and made for television, the new format was held before the main US Open draw, removing a key barrier: scheduling. With no conflict with their singles matches, top players were more willing to join in.

The result? A star-studded lineup. Jessica Pegula paired with Jack Draper; Iga Swiatek with Casper Ruud; Elena Rybakina with Taylor Fritz; and Mirra Andreeva with Daniil Medvedev — all received direct entries. Wild cards included Alcaraz and Raducanu, Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe, Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic, and Naomi Osaka and Gaël Monfils.

Only Pegula/Draper and Swiatek/Ruud survived the opening rounds. The real story was the success of doubles specialists Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori — a reminder that makeshift pairings rarely succeed. British doubles stalwart Jamie Murray call it a “glorified exhibition”.

Will this new version of mixed doubles catch on? I hope not. If you’ve followed traditional doubles, you’ll likely agree. But I do hope more singles players start taking doubles seriously. It could elevate their all-court game — especially volleying.

The key is consistency: having a regular partner, ideally someone with doubles expertise. John McEnroe had Peter Fleming; Navratilova had Pam Shriver, and Serena had Venus. Pegula and Gauff thrived as a team until they split to focus on singles.

With smart scheduling, like this year’s US Open, more top players might consider doubles. So, despite the loss, Alcaraz and Raducanu may have sparked renewed interest in a format that has long been treated as a sideshow.