New York City is buzzing with anticipation as the US Open unveils its boldest mixed doubles event yet, kicking off on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at the iconic Flushing Meadows. This year, tennis fans will witness a star-studded lineup, with some of the sport’s brightest singles champions teaming up in what’s already being called a game-changer for the tournament. At the heart of the excitement? The much-anticipated pairing of Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, both 22 and former Grand Slam singles champions, who are set to make their mixed doubles debut on the grandest stage.
The mixed doubles event, reimagined by the USTA, has been strategically moved to the week before the main singles tournament, which starts on August 24. Organizers hope this shift will shine a spotlight on a discipline that’s often overshadowed by singles drama. And what better way to do it than by inviting top singles players to join forces—and, in some cases, face off against each other?
The format is as fresh as the faces on court. Sixteen pairs—selected by combining the top-8 singles rankings and eight wildcards—will compete over four rounds. Matches leading up to the final will be played as best-of-three sets, but with a twist: each set is won by the first pair to four games, sudden death deuce is in play, and if the score reaches 4-4, a tiebreak decides the set. If needed, a 10-point match tiebreak replaces the third set. For the final, it’s back to the traditional six-game sets, heightening the stakes for the trophy.
The action unfolds on the two largest courts at Flushing Meadows—Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong—starting at 11am local time (4pm BST) on both Tuesday and Wednesday. The total prize money has soared to $2.36 million, with a jaw-dropping $1 million going to the champions, a staggering $800,000 increase from 2024. It’s clear: the mixed doubles is no longer just a sideshow.
All eyes will be on the round-of-16 battle as top-seeded duo Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula, both ranked inside the top five in singles, take on the wildcard team of Alcaraz and Raducanu. Draper, 23, and Raducanu, 22, are British number ones in their respective fields, but only one will advance to the next round. Their original partners, Tommy Paul and Paula Badosa, withdrew, leading to this high-profile reshuffle. As fate would have it, their paths cross in the very first round.
Raducanu, who stunned the world by winning the US Open in 2021 at just 18, is no stranger to the New York spotlight. Alcaraz, who clinched his first major at the 2022 US Open at 19 and has since added four more Grand Slam titles to his name, brings both firepower and charisma to the court. Their partnership, forged after Alcaraz texted Raducanu moments after learning of the new format, has already captured the imagination of tennis fans worldwide. As Raducanu quipped in a promotional shoot, “Got to keep 'em on their toes.”
Their chemistry was on full display in a June 2025 promotional video, where a playful debate over the coin toss had them—and their fans—bursting into laughter. The video racked up over 3.2 million views on Instagram, sparking a global surge in online searches for “Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu.” Social media is abuzz with speculation, memes, and fan art, as the duo’s on- and off-court dynamic fuels a burgeoning shipper culture. As one fan put it, “We all know, we all see it, we all feel it. Love is in the court.”
But it’s not just about romance or internet trends. The USTA’s decision to move the mixed doubles event ahead of the singles tournament is a calculated effort to boost the format’s profile. Inviting top singles stars—many of whom usually skip mixed doubles—has created a draw that reads like a who’s who of modern tennis. Novak Djokovic is teaming up with fellow Serbian Olga Danilovic, while Italian Jannik Sinner, fresh off his Cincinnati Open final against Alcaraz, partners Czech star Katerina Siniakova. Other marquee pairings include Iga Swiatek with Casper Ruud, Naomi Osaka with Gael Monfils, Venus Williams with Reilly Opelka, and Taylor Fritz with Elena Rybakina.
The order of play on Tuesday promises non-stop action. On Arthur Ashe, Osaka and Monfils open the proceedings against Caty McNally and Lorenzo Musetti, followed by Swiatek and Ruud versus Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe. The headline match—Draper/Pegula against Raducanu/Alcaraz—is scheduled third, around 2pm local time. Over on Louis Armstrong, the likes of Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori and Rybakina/Fritz square off, with more big names to follow.
For those watching from afar, Sky Sports Tennis will broadcast the event in the UK, while ESPN carries the action in the United States. Fans won’t want to miss a minute, as the condensed two-day schedule means upsets, heartbreak, and glory will come thick and fast.
Beyond the matches, the cultural phenomenon surrounding Alcaraz and Raducanu has taken on a life of its own. Their friendship—rooted in years of shared experience on the junior and pro circuits—has become a focal point for fans eager for a new tennis “power couple.” Reddit forums, Instagram comments, and even dedicated subreddits have exploded with theories, wishful thinking, and creative fan fiction. According to Cain Allen, moderator of the Raducanu subreddit, “Everybody seems to have an opinion of some sort, either they're like, 'Oh, this is a load of bull,' or 'I am so excited for this relationship.'”
But the players themselves are taking it in stride. When asked about the internet’s fascination, Raducanu replied, “I'm glad the internet is having fun and we're providing some entertainment for everyone.” It’s a savvy, meta response that keeps fans guessing and the buzz alive.
Of course, not all attention has been positive. Raducanu faced a security scare earlier this year when a man exhibiting “fixated behavior” was ejected and issued a restraining order after following her across multiple tournaments. Experts are quick to draw a line between healthy fandom and dangerous obsession. As international speaker Anna Nasset notes, “A fan fiction artist or author is somebody who enjoys celebrating the celebrity and making up interesting stories in another universe about them. A stalker is somebody who is motivated to create fear, intimidate, harass, or harm.”
For now, the storylines—both real and imagined—are converging in New York. Alcaraz, just off a grueling Cincinnati Open final against Sinner, is racing to make it in time. Will he and Raducanu take the court as planned? Will their partnership translate into on-court magic or will Draper and Pegula assert their top-seed status?
Whatever happens, the 2025 US Open mixed doubles event has already succeeded in captivating fans and rewriting the script for what this format can be. As the players prepare to light up the biggest stages in tennis, one thing’s for sure: Flushing Meadows is ready for a new kind of show.
