Emma Raducanu is set to compete against Jack Draper in the US Open mixed doubles, raising concerns that her anticipated pairing with Carlos Alcaraz may not materialize. Fans were thrilled by the news of Raducanu and Alcaraz joining forces for the new format in New York. The United States Tennis Association organized the doubles event preceding the singles competition, offering a generous $1 million prize to attract top players.

However, a scheduling conflict has emerged as Alcaraz is preparing to face Jannik Sinner in the Cincinnati Open final, leading to doubts about his participation in the mixed doubles. The Cincinnati Open has been extended, with the final now set for Monday night instead of the usual Sunday finish, potentially hindering Alcaraz’s involvement due to a tight timeline.

The distance between Cincinnati and New York is approximately a two-hour flight, with the mixed doubles matches scheduled to begin at 11 am local time on Tuesday. The compressed timeline includes the semi-finals and final on Wednesday. Despite the uncertainty, the official draw released on Sunday still includes Alcaraz and Raducanu, who are slated to play Draper and Jessica Pegula after their original partners withdrew.

In a parallel development, Sinner and Katerina Siniakova are expected to face Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev following Emma Navarro’s replacement. Alcaraz opted out of the Canadian Open to manage an injury concern after his Wimbledon defeat, potentially prioritizing rest over the mixed doubles event.

It would be disappointing if Raducanu and Alcaraz miss the opportunity to compete together, given their excitement expressed during Wimbledon. Alcaraz conveyed his anticipation for the partnership, emphasizing Raducanu’s leadership role and their mutual goal of winning the tournament.

The pairings for the mixed doubles matches at the US Open include:
– Jack Draper/Jessica Pegula vs. Carlos Alcaraz/Emma Raducanu
– Olga Danilovic/Novak Djokovic vs. Mirra Andreeva/Daniil Medvedev
– Casper Ruud/Iga Swiatek vs. Madison Keys/Frances Tiafoe
– Gael Monfils/Naomi Osaka vs. Caty McNally/Lorenzo Musetti
– Katerina Siniakova/Jannik Sinner vs. Belinda Bencic/Alexander Zverev
– Ben Shelton/Taylor Townsend vs. Amanda Anisimova/Holger Rune
– Reilly Opelka/Venus Williams vs. Karolina Muchova/Andrey Rublev
– Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori vs. Taylor Fritz/Elena Rybakina