Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz to form blockbuster partnership at US Open - as Grand Slam champions team up for revamped mixed doubles event
- The US Open moved the mixed doubles event in an effort to attract big names
- Raducanu and Alcaraz are among the star names included on the entry list
- Jack Draper is set to team up with Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng in the event
Emma Raducanu will form a blockbuster mixed doubles partnership with two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open’s revamped mixed doubles event this year.
The US Open have moved the tournament to the week before the main singles draws in an effort to attract big names - and they have certainly succeeded.
Raducanu has often spoken of her admiration for Alcaraz’s creative, free-flowing game and was in the crowd to watch the 22-year-old Spaniard beat Novak Djokovic to win his second Wimbledon title last year.
The British No1 reached the last 16 of Wimbledon last year, and partially put that form down to watching Alcaraz.
‘The last couple matches I’ve been following Carlos, and it’s just good to watch before my match,’ she said.
‘And sometimes in certain moments you in a way try to emulate certain shots.’

Alcaraz secured the French Open earlier this month and is eyeing another Wimbledon title

Raducanu has admired Alcaraz's game and was in the crowd as he won Wimbledon last year

Jack Draper has also been included on the entry list

Jack Draper is scheduled to play with reigning Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng in the event
It was at last year’s Championships, of course, that Raducanu agreed to play mixed doubles with Andy Murray during his final Wimbledon, only to pull out before their first match, citing a need to rest a wrist injury.
A scratching of her nomination with Alcaraz in New York would not cause nearly as much of a firestorm as that withdrawal - which Raducanu has recently admitted she still feels guilty about.
The entry list is still provisional but if two of the most famous players in tennis do make the start line, the interest would be huge.
Jack Draper is also on the entry list, to play with Chinese world No4 Qinwen Zheng.
In all there are 10 Grand Slam champions in a glittering field which also includes Nick Kyrgios teaming up with Naomi Osaka and tennis power couple Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Others pairs on the list are: world No1 Jannik Sinner and Emma Navarro, Novak Djokovic and fellow Serb Olga Danilovic, Italian duo Jasmine Paolini and Lorenzo Musetti, Russians Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev, Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov, Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev.
There are also three All-American pairs: Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul; Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton; Frances Tiafoe and Madison Keys, and last year’s mixed doubles champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
There was plenty of wailing and gnashing of teeth at the unfairness of this - but it is tough to argue with that entry list.