Before the round of 16 against Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, Jack Draper was asked about his thoughts on winning the title eventually. This year, the US Open made a tactical change to the format for the event, making it more exhibition-forward. And so, that’s exactly what Draper responded. But his mixed doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, sitting right next to him, didn’t share the sentiment. She instantly crossed, “Yeah. It’s not an exhibition.” No doubt, she carried that competitive spirit in their semifinal matchup. 

The match against Casper Ruud and Iga Swiatek was a heated battle with long rallies and entertaining sequences from the get-go. Swiatek and Ruud even had the match’s rare umpire review when they thought Pegula had touched the net. The umpire deemed the move legal. But the real drama was not the review, but a halt.

The crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium was in for a cliffhanger early on Wednesday evening. In the very first set, Pegula/ Draper were having a break point at 3-3 (40-30), when the 31-year-old challenged a call, Pegula stopped playing when the ball bounced twice in quick succession before Swiatek hit it. Pegula was seemingly confused about who earned the point and approached the chair umpire for clarification. 

The umpire had ruled the point in favor of Swiatek, and Pegula was heard saying, “If that’s her point, then I’m challenging.” While it did not change the outcome, it did stop the entire play for some time. Pegula/ Draper swept the first set 3-5. However, the rival team wasn’t ready to give up easily. Swiatek and Rudd leveled the fight with a thrilling tiebreak win the following set 5-3. The made another comeback in the new tiebreaker set with 10-8 to enter the summit clash of the 2025 US Open mixed doubles event.

It was the first time this week that any mixed doubles match went into the third set. In the ultimate upset over first seeds, Swiatek and Ruud held their nerves and managed to beat Pegula and Draper in an intense tiebreak battle. The Pole and the Norwegian ATP pro made it to the summit clash with a final score line of 3-5, 5-3 [10-8]. Undoubtedly, Swiatek was extremely happy to have come back from the brink of defeat. “I will remember this forever,” she said after hitting the match-winning volley over the net.

In case the six-time slam winner ends up capturing the mixed doubles trophy, it will be her second-straight title win this week after emerging as the Cincinnati queen a few days ago. Now, the first finalists are waiting before stepping on the court again in several hours to fight for the trophy and lucrative prize money.

$1 million on the line as Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud await the second finalist team after besting Jessica Pegula-Jack Draper

With their scintillating win over Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud have secured a spot in their maiden US Open mixed doubles final together. Currently, the second semifinal between Danielle Collins-Christian Harrison and defending champions Sara Errani-Andrea Vavassori is underway. Errani and Vavassori easily snatched the first set.

The second finalists will battle it out against Swiatek and Ruud later in the night at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Compared to last year’s edition, the 2025 US Open mixed doubles event is quite special, especially when it comes to the prize money. Previous season, the winning team took home $200,000.

However, the amount has increased by 400 percent this time. The last team standing will eventually pocket a massive $1 million in prize money alongside the coveted trophy.

Update: Defending champions Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori won a dramatic 2025 U.S. Open mixed doubles final with 6-3, 5-7 (10-6) at Flushing Meadows.

But the question remains: which pair will have the last laugh? Have you got any predictions already? Don’t forget to share your picks in the comments below.