The duo of Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula achieved a resounding victory over Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu in the first round of the revamped US Open mixed doubles.
Draper, the British number 1 in the men’s ranking, along with Pegula, his American partner, defeated Alcaraz, number 2 in the world in the men’s category, and Raducanu, the highest-ranked British tennis player, with a score of 4-2 and 4-2 in just 51 minutes, securing their place in the quarterfinals.
Raducanu suffered the loss of her serve in the initial game. Although there were no further break opportunities in the first set, this was enough for Draper and Pegula to take the partial victory.
In the second set, Alcaraz and Raducanu took the lead with a 1-0, but were again surpassed, falling 2-1 behind. Draper demonstrated his precision and power, holding his serve and extending the lead to 3-1.
Raducanu managed to save three break points before securing her serve, reducing the deficit to 3-2. However, Draper sealed the victory in the next game, taking advantage of the third match point with an impressive forehand down the line.
The mixed doubles event has gained prominence at Flushing Meadows, after being rescheduled to start before the main tournament. The winners of the event, which features 16 participating pairs, will compete for a prize of $1 million (£750,000).
