Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz granted wildcard as US Open confirms pairings for controversial mixed doubles event

Independent

2 days ago

The US Open has confirmed 14 teams that will feature in its controversial, revamped mixed doubles tournament this year, with a further two wildcard spots to be allocated at a later date.
The organisers announced in February that the mixed doubles event would be radically overhauled, moving to a two-day event before the start of the official tournament, with sets played to four games with a tiebreak at 4-4, no-ad scoring, and a 10-point tiebreak instead of a third set.
The quicker format, the move to qualifying week, and the huge increase in prize money - up to $1m, an $800,000 increase from the 2024 edition - was designed to attract singles stars to the event.
And of the 14 teams confirmed as participants this week, only one team is an established mixed doubles pairing: last year's champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
Recent Wimbledon mixed doubles champions Katerina Siniakova and Sam Verbeek are not on the list, but could still receive a wildcard entry closer to the tournament start. Both were among many doubles specialists - Errani and Vavassori included - who objected to the changed format and emphasis on singles players.
'It's a shame they decided to do it,' Siniakova told BBC Sport during Wimbledon. 'I think it's a marketing step, but they are taking (away the) chance of doubles players.' Verbeek added: 'I'm not going to actively root against it for it not to be a success. The positive I can think of is that there's going to be more people that can see the top single stars earlier in the tournament when they are maybe a bit more accessible to the public. But as a doubles athlete, my heart is bleeding.'
The teams include eight which have directly earned a place as a result of their combined singles ranking, while Errani and Vavassori are one of six teams granted wildcards, with two more to follow.
Nine grand slam singles champions are on the list of confirmed pairings, including recently-crowned Wimbledon champions Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, who have direct entry into the draw alongside partners Emma Navarro and Casper Ruud, respectively.
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz have been given a wildcard, along with all-American pairings Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Townsend - the women's doubles No 1 - and Ben Shelton. Venus Williams, who recently made her singles comeback in Washington, and Reilly Opelka have also been granted a wildcard, as have Serbia's Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic.
British No 1 Jack Draper had entered the draw alongside Zheng Qinwen, but has now been granted direct entry alongside Spain's former world No 2 Paula Badosa after Zheng withdrew following elbow surgery.
The small draw and popularity of the event among singles players means it's not just established doubles pairings who will miss out: Alex de Minaur took to social media after the announcement to say, 'Katie [Boulter, his fiancee] and I would like to ask for a WC pretty pretty please'.