Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu crash out of revamped US Open mixed doubles as Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud reach semifinals

(CNN) — The much-talked-about pairing of Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz fell to an early exit in the US Open’s mixed doubles competition on Tuesday, losing their first-round match and failing to win a set.

Raducanu and Alcaraz, who have both lifted the US Open singles title on this court, lost 4-2, 4-2 against top seeds Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula, their partnership lasting just 50 minutes inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The highlight of their short-lived campaign came in the second set when Alcaraz hunted down a wide and dipping backhand from Draper, swiping it down the line and receiving a look of astonishment from Raducanu.

In a reimagined competition comprising almost entirely of singles specialists, Draper and Pegula fared better than most, later defeating Mirra Andreeva