The US Open mixed doubles will kick off on the 19th! Alcaraz and Raducanu are the stars of the show, while Draper deserves a consolation prize.

Despite the withdrawal of several big names from the mixed doubles competition before August 19, the event remains popular with top players like Djokovic, Sinner, Alcaraz, Swiatek, Pegula, and Rybakina involved.

Among the many stars, Alcaraz and Raducanu stand out as the most talked-about, followed by Britain's leading player Draper.

Alcaraz and Raducanu have become the main attractions of this year’s US Open mixed doubles, partly due to their unclear romantic rumors and complex relationship.

Before it was confirmed that they would participate in the US Open mixed doubles, rumors circulated that Alcaraz had a crush on Raducanu. Reports suggested that the Spaniard had reached out to the British player, but unfortunately, Raducanu did not respond.

Moreover, every time Alcaraz sees Raducanu, the joy in his eyes is hard to hide, leading many to believe he must have feelings for her, as such light only appears when one is enamored with someone.

“The US Open organizers contacted us and offered the chance to play mixed doubles. I’m really excited about it, and I believe it will be fantastic. I’ve known Raducanu for a long time, and we have a good relationship. When I heard there would be mixed doubles, I thought she would be the best partner, so I asked her if she would like to compete.” Alcaraz expressed his enthusiasm for partnering with Raducanu, and her eventual agreement only fueled the rumors surrounding them.

Although Raducanu later clarified at Wimbledon that the rumors were unfounded and emphasized that they are just friends, she was frequently seen at Alcaraz's matches, and her shy demeanor caught on camera led many to joke, “In the end, clarifying doesn’t really help; if there’s nothing going on, why avoid each other? What are people supposed to think?”

It can be said that the attention on Alcaraz and Raducanu as the most notable duo in this year’s US Open mixed doubles stems from their various interactions during Wimbledon. Some directly stated that Raducanu's lack of explanation about their relationship made it hard to distinguish between rumor and reality, but their frequent appearances together at Wimbledon and Raducanu's unusual interest in Alcaraz, along with the Spaniard’s joyful mentions of her, have led many to believe, “I don’t think there’s nothing going on; it’s just that their relationship hasn’t been confirmed.”

According to the latest mixed doubles draw for the US Open, Alcaraz and Raducanu will face Draper and Pegula on the first day of the competition, with the winner advancing to the second round to meet the winner of Djokovic/Danilovic and Medvedev/Andreyeva.

The match featuring Alcaraz and Raducanu on the first day has been deemed "absolutely unmissable" by fans and netizens, and this high level of interest is indirectly related to Britain's Draper.

Draper's keen interest in this year's US Open mixed doubles is evident from his announcement that he shares the same management company as Zheng Qinwen, hoping to partner with the Chinese star through this special connection.

However, no one expected Draper’s mixed doubles journey at the US Open to be so tumultuous: Zheng Qinwen withdrew due to injury, and his later partner, Badosa, also announced her withdrawal. This led many to believe that Draper's chances in the mixed doubles were likely dashed.

Additionally, Draper emphasized that his injury was healed, he was in great form, and eager to compete, but with no partner secured, he had energy with nowhere to direct it, generating much sympathy for the British player.

Fortunately, at a critical moment, Pegula stepped in to ensure Draper could participate in the mixed doubles at the US Open.

Fans and netizens have joked that given Draper's enthusiasm for the mixed doubles and the various challenges he faced to finally appear on the court, he deserves a consolation prize from the US Open organizers. If the prize is a $1 million championship bonus, that would be the best outcome.

This year, after changes were made to the mixed doubles format at the US Open, it is still considered one of the Grand Slam events, but many now refer to it as a large-scale exhibition match. In addition to significantly increased prize money and the active invitation of top players, the competition format has also changed from previous years.

It is reported that all matches leading up to the finals will adopt a best-of-three format, “using a short set of 4 games to win, no-ad scoring, and entering a tiebreak at 4-4, with a super tiebreak replacing the third set if the first two sets are tied”; the finals will “use a standard best-of-three format, no-ad scoring, with a tiebreak at 6-6, and a super tiebreak replacing the third set.”

The US Open mixed doubles will last for two days, officially starting on August 19 and concluding with the finals on August 20. Which duo will take home the record-breaking $1 million mixed doubles championship prize this year? It’s worth watching!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River's Starry Sky)