Carlos Alcaraz comments about partnering Emma Raducanu called 'embarrassing'

Carlos Alcaraz has come under scrutiny from fellow players for sharing his excitement about the new mixed doubles format at the US Open. The 22-year-old tennis sensation, who is currently ranked world No. 2 in the ATP rankings and boasts five Grand Slam titles, will partner with Emma Raducanu in the event scheduled for August 19 and 20 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Speaking about the upcoming tournament, Alcaraz said: "I'm super excited about it. I think it's going to be great. It was an amazing idea for the tournament. I will try to bring my doubles skills. We will try to win, but obviously it's going to be really, really fun." Despite his enthusiasm, Alcaraz has faced criticism from some quarters of the tennis community. Kristina Mladenovic, a 2013 Wimbledon doubles champion and three-time US Open finalist, recently criticised Alcaraz and other participants for their apparent enjoyment of the preparations for this year's US Open mixed doubles. She also took issue with the event being held outside of the traditional two-week window and the absence of any doubles specialists.

The 32-year-old French tennis player told Eurosport: "When you hear participants say they're going to have fun while preparing for the US Open, it's embarrassing. A Grand Slam is neither preparation nor fun. It's years of sacrifice.

"When you're little, you dream of winning one, even in doubles. You don't want to see your sport turn into a gigantic spectacle, even if it will indeed bring in a lot of money."

She added: "From a sporting point of view, it's problematic because it touches on the essence of tennis. A Grand Slam is a competition steeped in history, in singles and doubles. And now, all of a sudden, the doubles becomes a super exhibition without anyone or anything having a say. There's no problem putting on such an event, but above all, don't call it a Grand Slam!"

Her concerns were echoed by Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who criticised the communication surrounding the event, explaining: "Personally, I found out a week before it came out in the media, via an internal press release. That people would rather see Carlos Alcaraz play than me, that's obvious.

"But the form is a bit shocking. The moral, once again, is that the Grand Slams really do what they want. Touching mixed doubles, for most people, is perhaps not a big deal. But what's the next step?"

Notably, the winners of the mixed doubles event at the US Open last year received £145,000, while this year's winners will take home around £727k. Alcaraz is eager to dominate the courts alongside British sensation Raducanu in America.

However, the formidable pair aren't the only high-profile duo participating in the event. Jannik Sinner will join forces with Emma Navarro, while 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic will partner with Olga Danilovic. Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov will form another team, as will Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva.