The US Open mixed doubles stirred up quite a buzz when the new format dropped in February. This year, the event is set for August 19-20, right before the singles main draw, with a $1 million prize for the winners. But here’s the catch: only 16 teams will compete, half of last year’s 32. Not everyone was thrilled — Rennae Stubbs even called it an “exhibition” rather than an official tour event. Still, the fresh pairings announced this week might soften the blow and turn some heads. Jack Draper was certainly a little taken aback!

On Tuesday, a star-studded line-up for mixed doubles in New York was revealed. Some expected names like Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas showed up. Others? Definitely a surprise! Emma Raducanu is paired with Spaniard and World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz. Draper commented on Raducanu’s choice, humorously saying, “A wise person once told me you should find the best partner, and that’s what she did in Alcaraz. I don’t blame her at all for that.”

Draper, meanwhile, is paired with Qinwen Zheng. Though they haven’t played together before, the British No.1 on the ATP side is excited. Speaking at Queen’s Club, he said, “Yeah, I’ll definitely play. I think it’s a good format for the players to get prepared for the US Open, having a shot at playing with another top player. Qinwen I know from the tour. I have seen her around. Obviously, a great player herself and has a really good game.” It might be more than just a new pairing — Zheng had once said she’d play with Jack!

Back in April, Qinwen was asked to name an ideal celebrity doubles partner during a video with JW Marriott Marquis Miami. Instead of picking a film or TV star, she was practical and chose a fellow tennis pro. “Actually… Jack Draper,” Zheng said when asked who she would pick. That choice now looks like a clear hint at their confirmed US Open partnership.

Jack Draper is just as excited! He admitted it was his doing that got her as his partner. “I think it will be fun to get out there and play with her and see how we get on. Yeah, I think it was me who messaged through IMG. She’s with IMG as well. It was nice to get that sort of together and let’s see how we get on,” he added.

Well, there you have it. Fans might have been confused at first, but this draw adds spice to the event. Will this partnership claim the grand prize? Only time will tell! On the other hand, Carlos Alcaraz is equally pumped to play with Raducanu during the event.

At Queen’s Club, Alcaraz spilled the beans about his mixed doubles partner choice, saying Raducanu will be the “boss.” He’s clearly pumped, having known Emma for a long time. When asked if he had a hand in the pairing, he didn’t hold back: “Yeah. I mean, the tournament told us about the mixed tournament. I was thinking that I couldn’t play better if it wasn’t with Emma. I just asked Emma if she wants to play doubles with me. Yeah, I made that special request.” It’s a cool twist—both players seemed to pick their partners, adding a fun parallel to the mix.

Despite the competitive vibes, the two British stars haven’t lost their respect for each other. Raducanu hasn’t spoken up yet, but we know she once inspired Draper to up his game at the US Open.

Jack Draper credits Raducanu’s US Open triumph for sparking a new drive in his own game.

At the 2024 US Open, Draper made waves by reaching the semifinals. It was the best Grand Slam run of his career and made him the first by a British man since Andy Murray in 2012. But he didn’t drop a set until facing world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, cruising through opponents like Facundo Díaz Acosta and Alex de Minaur with ease. Though he eventually lost to Sinner, Draper’s motivation was clear. “What Emma did was obviously incredibly inspiring,” he told reporters. “I’ve known her from a young age and to see what she did was incredible. I was very proud of her, very excited, watching it thinking, obviously we’ve watched the likes of Andy Murray winning a Grand Slam from Great Britain, but her winning, it was just really a fairytale run.”

Since her breakthrough Slam win in 2021, Raducanu’s path has been bumpy with injuries and fitness issues. Her best recent Slam result was reaching Wimbledon’s fourth round, which has sparked some criticism. Jack Draper, however, stands firmly by her side: “I think it’s important that people give her time to be on her journey and to improve physically and to put years of working to get back to that point.” Their mutual respect shines through.

Raducanu has also praised Draper’s rise this year, especially after he broke into the ATP Top 5. “It’s amazing to see what he’s achieved and how much he’s done… He has such a big stature that he can take the game out of anyone’s hands. For him to kind of dominate like he has been is really cool to see,” she said. Their shared admiration adds an exciting dynamic to the tennis scene.

As the tour moves to grass, Raducanu bowed out of Queen’s Club in the quarters against Qinwen Zheng, while Draper is still going strong after beating Alexei Popyrin in the round of 16. With Wimbledon around the corner, fans are eager—will Draper keep the momentum and make a deep run? Share your thoughts below!