Certain tennis fans have spent the summer arguing that Carlos Alcaraz’s mixed-doubles partnership with Emma Raducanu was the US Open’s idea, and came about for commercial reasons, rather than being an organic arrangement between two old friends.

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz’s all-star partnership was brought to a premature end as they were beaten in the first round of the revamped US Open mixed doubles.

Carlos Alcaraz sent Arthur Ashe Stadium into chaos with a remarkable shot around the net post during his US Open mixed doubles match with Emma Raducanu. The Spaniard had only just lifted the Cincinnati Open trophy less than a day earlier before stepping onto court in New York.