The US Open never settles for ordinary. With drama and unforgettable stories designed right into its DNA, it adds fresh tension in 2025. This year the mixed doubles rushed from sideline curiosity to the main highlight real. Ready to see how it caught the audience’s heart? Let’s go all-in on the US Open mixed doubles.
A Hot-Headed, Reward-Heavy Kickoff
US Open mixed doubles boldly tore open its script. Instead of waiting for the main draw, the competition roared into life during US Open Fan Week—August 19–20. A jaw-dropping $1 million payday for the champs turned the greenroom into a shark tank. Quick-serve formats—short sets to four games, no-ads everywhere, and a match tiebreak—were meant to push the pace, while the last go-round slipped back to the old six-game-set grind, holding the audience breathless.
Some older legends bit back on any cool. Called it clever fluff and claimed the Open wanted wows rather than traits. The sport folks of The New Yorker and The Guardian had their say for sure, and the chatter took few breathers.
“Raducaraz” Lights Up the US Open
All the buzz at this year’s Open revolved around the mixed doubles team of Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning singles champs. Headlines around the world PLAYED IT UP, and the nickname “Raducaraz” quickly became a celebrity of its own, showing up everywhere on Twitter, Instagram, and even the sports radio shows. Just type “Raducaraz” into a search bar and see the fireworks.
Although their tournament run was shorter than fans hoped—yeah, they lost early—the vibe on the court was electric. Emma fired off cheeky pictures later on her Instagram, all captioned in Spanish: “de locos!! Gracias, partner.” Carlos chimed in with a comment still looking for the Spanish lessons, and the rumor mill went into overdrive. Both quickly jumped in reminding everyone, “just friends,” but of course, that only added more fuel.
Tennis legend Chris Evert couldn’t resist chiming in, contrasting the “Raducaraz” magic with her own history, and she made one thing crystal clear: no romance here, folks. Sometimes, a great on-court partnership is just that—great on-court chemistry. Still, the glow of Raducaraz is lasting, reminding us that the fun of tennis also includes the stories around the matches.
Dispatched by the Top Seeds at the US Open
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz made headlines and then packed their bags only hours later. In Fan Week on August 19, they took the court against the top-d seeded pair Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula and lost 4-2, 4-2. Forty-nine minutes later, the “Raducaraz” sensation—that blend of their nicknames—was history. The crowd loved the effort, and the tabloids loved the story.
Once the dust settled, Draper and Pegula rolled on. Their quarter-final medal already locked, they dropped only two games against Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev, finishing the duel 4-1, 4-1. The next hurdle? A high-anticipation semi against Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud, another glamour match that everyone at the Open couldn’t stop talking about.
Veterans Strike Back at the US Open
In the end, the closest thing to a generational upset came from the defending champions. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori took their experience into the final and somehow left with the trophy. They needed all the drama they could find: Errani and Vavassori captured the championship 6-3, 5-7, [10-6], extending their dynasty while handing the young stars a lesson on patience in a race for the future.
By winning again, Errani and Vavassori joined an exclusive group of only five duos in history to defend the US Open mixed doubles crown—and they’re the first to do it in consecutive years since the 1980s.
The match raised the bigger question of whether doubles experts can still dominate when the event feels redesigned, lighted, and amplified to a theater of global superstars.
Why the US Open Mixed Doubles Has Everyone Talking
Big crowds and daily chatter keep buzzing. This year the US Open turned mixed doubles into a form of performance art, a concept where match length, prize money, and dazzling pairings—think Alcaraz/Raducanu, Djokovic/Danilovic, Osaka/Monfils—plus dazzling graphics turn a side court into a front-row show. What used to be an extra was transformed into a must-watch.
The makeover wasn’t universally loved. Purists argued the spirit was lost, maybe swamped by production value. Still, the pre-tournament Fan Week and the court rumble of the mixed doubles “revamp” lured record crowds, new eyes, and stories that simple stat sheets can’t wield. From the weekend swoon of “Raducaraz” hype to Errani and Vavassori’s repeat, the US Open’s mixed doubles once again proved that the format, treated like a talking point, can run the headlines all itself.
In summary: The 2025 US Open mixed doubles delivered drama so intense it felt like can’t-miss reality TV. With a new format, bold celebrity and pro combos, social-media frenzy, and a constant tug-of-war between showmanship and old-school grit, the tournament reshaped how fans see mixed doubles. What happened this year will probably stick with us as the tournament’s biggest storyline, forever altering our image of the event.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/20/sport/tennis-us-open-mixed-doubles-alcaraz-raducanu-intl
