British No.1 Emma Raducanu and reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz headline a stellar cast set to feature in the newly revamped US Open mixed doubles event.
The high-profile duo are one of several eye-catching teams on the provisional entry list, which also includes fellow Brit Jack Draper, who is paired with China’s world No.4 Zheng Qinwen.
Other big names entered include Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka, Jannik Sinner, and Iga Swiatek, as the United States Tennis Association (USTA) aims to attract more top singles players to the mixed doubles format.
A New-Look Tournament
In a bold shift, this year’s US Open mixed doubles will take place as a standalone event on 19–20 August — five days before the main draw of the Grand Slam begins on 24 August.
The USTA hopes the move will increase visibility and attract greater fan and player engagement.
“Seeing the teams that have already put their names on the entry list makes us all incredibly excited,” said USTA chief executive Lew Sherr. “It shows that the players are behind what we are trying to do, and we know the fans will love it.”
Although the 16 pairings announced are not yet guaranteed to compete, their inclusion signals strong interest. Players must officially confirm participation by the 28 July deadline.
Format and Entry Details
The tournament will feature 16 mixed doubles teams. The top eight teams, based on combined singles rankings, will gain direct entry. The remaining spots will be filled by wildcards.
Early-round matches will be best-of-three sets, with sets played to four games. The final will follow a traditional six-game set format, using no-ad scoring and a 10-point match tiebreak in place of a third set.
Star-Studded Entry List
Here are the pairings currently entered:
- Emma Raducanu (GB) & Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
- Zheng Qinwen (CHN) & Jack Draper (GB)
- Naomi Osaka (JPN) & Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
- Iga Swiatek (POL) & Casper Ruud (NOR)
- Aryna Sabalenka & Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
- Jessica Pegula (USA) & Tommy Paul (USA)
- Emma Navarro (USA) & Jannik Sinner (ITA)
- Jasmine Paolini (ITA) & Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)
- Elena Rybakina (KAZ) & Taylor Fritz (USA)
- Madison Keys (USA) & Frances Tiafoe (USA)
- Paula Badosa (ESP) & Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
- Mirra Andreeva & Daniil Medvedev
- Belinda Bencic (SUI) & Alexander Zverev (GER)
- Taylor Townsend (USA) & Ben Shelton (USA)
- Sara Errani & Andrea Vavassori (ITA)
- Olga Danilovic (SRB) & Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Mixed Reaction from Doubles Community
While fans have welcomed the star-studded line-up, the format change has sparked criticism from some doubles specialists.
Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who are on the list, initially called the revamp a “profound injustice,” while France’s Kristina Mladenovic, a multiple Grand Slam doubles winner, described the decision as “terribly shocking.”
Still, the USTA remains optimistic that the revamped format will help boost the appeal of mixed doubles and usher in a new era of star-powered tennis collaborations.
