Jessica Pegula believes the revamped US Open mixed doubles event has created something rarely seen in tennis, bringing together the biggest names from the men’s and women’s game on the same stage. After enjoying a memorable run in the inaugural edition last year, the American has decided to return alongside Jack Draper, hoping to recreate the chemistry that developed during their unexpected partnership.
The pair reached the semifinals in 2025 after entering the tournament as the top seeds, defeating Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz before also overcoming Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva. Their run ended in a dramatic match tiebreak against Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, but the experience left a strong impression on Pegula.
For the American No. 1, the appeal of the competition goes beyond the results. Pegula believes the format offers fans a unique opportunity to see different personalities, playing styles and generations of tennis come together in a way that traditional events cannot replicate.
“I thought the event honestly surprised me. I think it was a really great turnout last year,” Pegula said. “We have such an interesting sport where you can see men and women competing on the same stage, on the same playing field, and I don’t think you can really do that in many other sports.”
Pegula explains why mixed doubles connected with US Open fans
The success of the event was one of the biggest talking points from last year’s US Open, with several top singles players embracing the challenge of doubles competition. Pegula believes that combination helped create new storylines and allowed fans to see a different side of the sport’s biggest stars.
“I think you saw a lot of different storylines that fans really loved to embrace,” the world No. 3 explained. “The US Open has grown so much where people just want to see tennis.”