US Open mixed doubles: Draper/Pegula v Alcaraz/Raducanu and more – live | US Open Tennis 2025
Key events
Swiatek says she’s played Ruud in the United Cup so has a good idea of where to be on the court; Ruud notes that Swiatek is on the winning train and he’s just jumping on. They’ll now share notes on McNally and Musetti, the match due on court in a matter of minutes.
Swiatek/Ruud (3) beats Keys/Tiafoe 4-1 4-2
The winners look a good team and meet McNally/Musetti shortly.
Rublev says he doesn’t know what he’s doing, he’s just trying to serve well. Muchova, though, is a good doubles player with the dexterity and power to become an even better one. They’re second-favourites for their quarter and rightly so, but they’ll give Errani/Vavssori a better game than Rybakina/Fritz did.
Keys holds serve, forcing Swiatek/Ruuud to serve for the match at 4-1 3-2.
Muchova/Rublev beat Williams/Opelka 4-2 5-4
That was never really in doubt. Muchova/Rublev meet Errani/Vavassori in the last eight – and in a few minutes’ time.
News reaches me that, in the locker room last week, Fritz said there was no chance he’d lose to a doubles player in mixed doubles.
Penny for em, Taylor old mate.
Oh Maddy. Regular readers of this blog will know she’s a favourite – Muchova too – and down 15-40, she sends down a double, missing the box by a way on her second go. Swiatek/Ruud lead 4-1 10 while, on Armatrong, Muchova/Rublev lead Williams/Opelka 4-2 in their second-set breaker, so are three points from victory. As I mentioned earlier, it’s $50,000 to show, with $50,000 more on offer for the first-round winners.
Mucholva holds, so we’re playing a second-set breaker on Armstrong; Williams/Opelka have to win it to stay in the competition and it’s first to seven.
Coach Calv, who as a Wimbledon and Aussie Open winner, knows a thing or 90,423 about doubles, notes that Rybakina/Frtiz didn’t even manage a break point against Errani/Vavassori and, with the best will in the world, the former is not renowned for her prowess in that aspect of the game. He also adds that “Vava is a great lad” and it’s clear Errani is too.
Venus finds herself serving at 15-30 and when Muchova volleys between her and Opelka, she’s down two break points. The first is saved when Rublev sends a forehand wide, the second with an ace, so here comes the deciding point at deuce … Opelka putting away and overhead with typical venom. Muchova will now serve for a breaker.
A terrific forehand from Ruud, looped down the line, raises three set points at 3-1, and an ace means he and Swiatek lead Keys/Tiafoe 1-0; on Armstrong, Muchova/Rublev lead Williams/Opelka 4-2 3-3.
Opelka holds so he and Venus lead Muchova/Rublev 3-2 having lost set one; Swiatek holds, so she and Ruud lead Keys/Tiafoe 3-0. I love how businesslike the Pole is – there aren’t many more focused competitors in any sport.
Up 0-40, Swiatek and Ruud go for the same ball, clashing rackets, and we wind up at deuce, a Tiafoe double handing over the game after all that hard work saving it. The no 3 seeds lead 2-0; Muchova/Rublev lead Williams/Opela 4-2 1-2 on serve.
A hold apiece opens set two on Armstrong, but Muchova/Rublev look the defter, more natural pair; I’d be surprised if they lost this. On Ashe. Ruud/Swiatek lead Keys/Tiafoe 1-0.
Keys and Tiafoe come out linking arms – they’re great mates, which is always nice to see. I’ve not a clue what to expect from this match, but I’m fascinated to see how Swiatek pulls up having only just won Cincinnati. We’re ready to get going, the winners to meet McNally/Musetti.
Two mahoosive Rublev forehands, one cross then a winner down the line, make 30-0, and terrific net-play, from him and Muchova, secure a 4-2 first set.
Opelka holds in short order, meaning Rublev will now serve for the set. He’s not often broken, and it seems unlikely the pair he’s facing have what it takes to make that happen.
Rublev nets a volley just as he and Muchova take over the rally and face break-back point; Venus nets a return for deuce, but with no advantage, she and Opelka have another shot at it. But they can’t take it, Venus butchering her volley, and Muchova/Rublev lead 3-1.
Back on Armstrong, Venus is serving at deuce … and she’s broken for 1-2. It’s a long way back from here, Muchova and Rublev both reliable servers.
McNally says she got a call from her agent telling her she had 30 seconds to decide whether to play with Musetti; “Er… yes!” was her response.
Musetti explains they spoke this morning, decided which side to play, and McNally is a really good player and he enjoyed seeing her at net. He thinks they’ve good chemistry on court and is looking forward to playing again. He was really stressed serving out, but hopes he’ll be better when they come back in an hour to play their quarter.
Next on Ashe: Swiatek/Ruud (3) v Keys/Tiafoe.
The stadium looks pretty full, now, by the way, which is good news. As on Armstrong, they’ve seen the better doubles players win.
McNally/Musetti beat Osaka/Monfils 5-3 4-2
The winning pair seemed to really enjoy that, and fully deserve their win.
A fine backhand winner from Osaka, monstered inside-out, earns two break-back points … both saved, but there’ll be a third with no advantage, that’s also match point. And we’re away again on Ashe, Williams/Opelka holding for 1-0.
We’re still on serve in the second, but McNally/Musetti look the likelier. With no deuces and four-game sets, though, things can turn on almost nothing. More importantly, though, what do we make of Osaka’s trainers?
Sadly, I’ve no better snap for now, but back on court, a Monfils double means she and he are broken; at 5-3 3-2, McNally/Musetti will now serve for the match.
McNally/Musetti seem to really be enjoying themselves and make deuce at 1-0 1-1, but Osaka/Monfils hold to keep their noses in front in set two; on Armstrong, our new teams emerge.
On Ashe, we’re 1-1 on set two, McNally/Musetti by one set to love.
Next on Armstrong: Williams/Opelka v Muchová/Rublev.
Errani is delighted, saying she loves playing with Vavassori and thinks she did well today. Vavassori notes that though their opponents are great, he and his partner know how to play together and they’re doing it for all the doubles players who aren’t competing. Biggup.
I really enjoyed Errani’s celebration there, butting heads with Vavassori; these two aren’t just dubs partners, they’re best mates, and it’s beautiful to watch.
The doubles team won that easily enough, their cohesion and deftness too much for their powerful but one-dimensional opponents. On Ashe, McNally/Musetti eventually serve out and lead Osaka/Monfils by one set to love.
Errani/Vavassori beat Rybakina/Fritz (2) 4-2 4-2
Frankly: good
Of the four out on Ashe, McNally, the least famous, is also the best doubles player. And it’s showing, Musetti pointing at her after good work allows them to make 30-15; meanwhile, Errani/Vavassori are up 30-0, two points away from victory.
And this time, Musetti nails his forehand winner so, at 4-3, McNally now serve for the set while, on Ashe, Errani/Vavassori have just botched two break points at 4-2 2-2, but at deuce have a third coming up … which they take. At 4-2 3-2, they’ll now serve for the match.
…then a third, so we’ll now have a deciding point, Osaka serving.
…and two are saved…
A Musetti forehand winner down the line catches Monfils in no-man’s land; it’s almost like he’s not a doubles specialist. So at 0-40, McNally/Musetti have three break points…
…and Musetti double faults! Two set-points burned, and it’s 3-3 in the first; if we get to 4-4 we’ll have a breaker. On Armstrong, it’s 2-1 Rybakina/Fritz in set two, the first taken by Errani/Vavassori.
Excellent net-play from McNally earns 30-15, but though Musetti seems to have secured set-point with a terrific backhand, Osaka/Monfils stick in the rally and eventually the Italian loses an overhead in the sun and nets. They do then make set point, but this time McNall nets a volley, so here comes the one-point settler…
McNally/Musetti break Osaka/Monfils – a wild forehand from Osaka raises hands over the opportunity – so at 3-2, Musetti will now serve for the set.
Vavassori serves out easily enough, so he and Errani lead Fritz/Rybakina by a set to love. On Ashe, meantime, Musetti has just put away an overhead at the net to save break point. He and McNally are level with Osaka/Monfils at 2-2 in the first.
Fritz holds, forcing Vavassori to serve for the first set. Thinking more about all this, I’m also missing the prospect of an epic – in this format, they’re simply impossible. And, if you’re wondering if that’s even possible in dubs, check out – for example – the Wimbledon and Aussie Open finals won my Patten/Heliovaara. It just doesn’t get better than that.
I should say, I’m not opposed to tweaking doubles to entice crowds in. I’m just opposed to lozzing doubles teams while confiscating some of their income.
The crowds, by the way, are OK but nothing especially exciting. And, as I type, Fritz plays the kind of backhand down the line that might work well in singles. But Vavassori is there to cut it off with a volley, the hold follows, and the champs are a game away from set one while, on Ashe, Osaka holds to give her and Monfils a 2-1 lead over McNally/Musetti.
Quicksmart, Errani/Vavassori hold for 1-1 and will now look to put pressure on Rybakina, excellence from Errani force another break point … which this time they take. They lead 2-1 in a race to four; on Ashe, it’s 1-1.
First up, Fritz/Rybakina are down 30-40, the former serving. But Vavassori nets with plenty of court at which to aim, meaning a deciding point … settled by a booming Fritz forehand. I do not think this’ll be the last time I type those words or variations of them over the next fortnight. Meantime on Ashe, Monfils holds, so he and Osaka lead McNally/Musetti 1-0.
Righto, I’ve found Errani/Vavassori v Rybakina/Fritz. Obviously I’m impartial, but come on the champs.
Our first two pairs are out on Ashe; I’m not yet certain if we can watch Armstrong too.
The rules
The last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will be best of three sets, but first to four games not six. If a game goes to deuce, the winners of the next point take it – there’s no advantage. If a match is level at a set apiece, a 10-point match tiebreak will settle it.
Breaking: Danielle Collins and Christian Harris replace Sinner/Siniakova.
On which point, the reason for the TBD below is that Jannik Sinner, who retired ill when 5-0 down to Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati final, has pulled out.
I can’t lie, I’m buzzing that we’ve got two extra days of banging tennis. This competition should just feature the best mixed doubles pairings, not the best singles players who can be arsed.
Email! “I agree, its money-fuelled tokenism and could cause the end of doubles as we know it at the major tournaments, says Andrew Benton. “Or, it might be the start of a doubles revival, from which the specialists will benefit particularly – at least people will be watching these matches as they feature the rich and famous, and who knows where that extra interest and investment could lead. Well, probably nowhere. But it’s a bit like the Hundred.”
I disagree it’s like the Hundred as that isn’t taking a major tournament away from those who play the event best. I also don’t believe doubles needs gimmicks – it just needs to be marketed and respected properly. Henry Patten was really good on this when I interviewed him in May.
The winners – we’ll know who they are tomorrow – will earn $1m, fives times more than went to last year’s champions. According to BBC, appearance fees are north of $50,000, or in other words, the players involved are competing to get paid and to prepare for their singles campaigns, not because they’re motivated to win a grand slam.
I’ve not the slightest clue how the seeding works, but it’s worth noting that Errani/Vavassori, included as a sop to sporting merit – they’re the defending champions – have not been so honoured.
Order of play
Ashe
Naomi Osaka/Gaël Monfils v Caty McNally/Lorenzo Musetti (4pm BST)
Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud (3) v Madison Keys/Francis Tiafoe (not before 5pm BST)
Winners meet in quarter-final
Jessica Pegula/Jack Draper (1) v Emma Raducanu/Carlos Alcaraz (not before 7pm BST)
Olga Danilovic/Novak Djokovic v Mirra Andreeva/Daniil Medvedev
Winners meet in quarter-final
**
Armstrong
Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori v Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz (2)
Venus Williams/Reilly Opelka v Karolina Muchová v Andrey Rublev
Winners meet in quarter-final
Taylor Townsend/Ben Shelton v Amanda Anisimova/Holger Rune (not before 5.30pm BST)
TBD v Belinda Bencic/Alexander Zverev
Winners meet in quarter-final
Preamble
We’re all friends here so we can be honest with each other: I’m not exactly at one with what we’re about to enjoy.
Why? Because doubles tennis is a specific skill, nurtured and developed by players relying on it – and a system that’s operated for decades – to make a living. So confiscating a huge competition from them, to hand money to suits and superstars – who do not need it and are, individually and as pairs, less good at the actual sport – doesn’t sit right with me.
On the other hand and just as they want us to say, take a look at that lineup! Such is sport, such is the world, such is life; let’s make the best of it, I guess.
