Following Carlos Alcaraz’s historic 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Jannik Sinner to claim the 2025 US Open men’s singles title on September 7, 2025, Jessica Pegula seized the moment to issue a cheeky Instagram reminder about her and Jack Draper’s mixed doubles win over Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu earlier in the tournament. Pegula, who reached the women’s singles semifinals before losing to Aryna Sabalenka, posted a story with a photo from their 4-2, 4-2 first-round mixed doubles victory on August 19, 2025, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, captioning it, “Congrats Carlitos!! But don’t forget who got you in mixed 😂 @jackdraper @emmaraducanu @carlitosalcarazz.” The playful jab, reported by *EssentiallySports*, highlighted the lighthearted banter among the quartet, with Pegula poking fun at the high-profile “Alcaranu” pairing (*web:4*).
The mixed doubles match, part of the US Open’s revamped format, saw Pegula, a former doubles World No. 1, and Draper, Britain’s top player, outclass Raducanu and Alcaraz, who were wildcard entrants with minimal doubles experience (*web:0,3,15*). Pegula’s solid baseline play and Draper’s aggressive net attacks overwhelmed their opponents in just 50 minutes, despite the crowd’s support for Raducanu and Alcaraz (*web:0,18*). Raducanu, who posted her own playful response to Alcaraz’s singles win on Instagram—“de locos!! @carlitosalcarazz 🎊🤩 gracias partner, had so much fun”—prompted Alcaraz to reply, “Still waiting for those Spanish words…😝 Thank you, partner! ❤🙏🏽,” fueling their off-court chemistry (*web:4*).
Pegula’s reminder wasn’t just a flex; it underscored her doubles prowess, having advanced to the mixed doubles semifinals with Draper before losing to Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud (*web:10,19*). Despite her singles semifinal loss to Sabalenka, Pegula remained upbeat, telling *The Athletic*, “I’m ready to roll with the WTA tour ahead,” and her playful social media dig added to the tournament’s off-court entertainment (*web:4,23*). Fans on X, like @TennisFan123, loved the exchange, posting, “Pegula’s got jokes! That mixed doubles win still stings for Alcaranu fans!” (*post:4*).
Alcaraz’s US Open triumph, the first men’s set-less win in the Open Era, reclaimed his No. 1 ranking, while Raducanu, ranked No. 58, exited in the third round to Elena Rybakina (*web:9,12*). Pegula’s cheeky nod to their earlier defeat added a fun layer to Alcaraz’s victory narrative, showcasing the camaraderie and competitive spirit among tennis’s young stars as they head into the 2026 season.
