How Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz formed 'genuine connection' and 'friendship' ahead of Wimbledon and mixed doubles at US Open
Updated 30/06/2025 at 11:59 GMT+1
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz will team up at this year's US Open in the revamped mixed doubles. The 22-year-olds have a history that dates back several years that Raducanu says is built on a "real genuine connection". Raducanu watched Alcaraz play at Queen's last week, and amid rumors of romance, the British No. 1 says they are "just good friends".
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It was at the US Open where it all started for Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz - in more ways than one.
The 2021 US Open will always be synonymous with Raducanu as she came through qualifying and didn’t drop a set on her way to one of the most remarkable major wins in history.
At the same time, Alcaraz was becoming the youngest US Open quarter-finalist in the Open era. A year later, he won his maiden Grand Slam in New York.
Raducanu says her and Alcaraz "were staying in touch for the whole time" during their 2021 US Open runs, and this summer, the 22-year-olds will join forces at the Grand Slam as they team up in the Mixed Doubles Championship.
It will be the first time Raducanu and Alcaraz have played together, but according to Raducanu they have a "real genuine connection" that started when they were rising up through the tennis ranks together.
Where did Raducanu and Alcaraz first meet?
Raducanu has revealed that she first got to know Alcaraz at Wimbledon in 2021.
Alcaraz was making his debut at the Grand Slam that summer, while Raducanu reached the fourth round on her first appearance at a major.
The connection continued to blossom at the US Open, where Raducanu went on her incredible run from qualifier to champion, and Alcaraz also shone on his way to the quarters.
"I remember he was always playing the day before me, and I was playing like the second day of the round," Raducanu said recently.
"And I would see him win, and then I would have motivation to win and get myself into that position too.
"I remember he beat Stef [Tsitsipas] in the third round and it was like a big win, his breakout kind of win on a big stage and it was really cool to kind of, I guess, go through that tournament together and then I kept going through the US Open, but we were staying in touch for the whole time and yeah, it's nice."
The careers of Alcaraz and Raducanu have diverged on different paths since those breakout runs at the 2021 US Open, but they appear to have stayed close.
Raducanu was spotted recently at Queen’s to watch Alcaraz in his semi-final match against Roberto Bautista Agut.
‘Real genuine connection’
One of the first questions regarding the Raducanu-Alcaraz doubles partnership was who asked who.
Alcaraz revealed at Queen’s that he made the request - and didn’t get an answer straight away.
"She took a while," said the men's world No. 2 with a smile.
"No, not that much…But obviously she had to ask, and she had to think a little bit. But it wasn’t immediate, so…"
Asked about the delay in making a decision, Raducanu joked: "Gotta keep ’em on their toes.
"I mean, of course, I had to ask my team if they wanted me to play. But for me, when he asked me, I was going to say yes, I just had to kind of go through the formality of asking my coach, so I didn’t just make the decision."
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Emma Raducanu watching Carlos Alcaraz
Image credit: Getty Images
Raducanu also added that the partnership is formed on having a meaningful connection with Alcaraz.
"It is nice and I think, for all of us, we really value those connections that we had from when we were young.
"Because when you become a bit more known or a bit more successful, you just find yourself reverting back to people you knew from a young age and because that’s a real genuine connection, because it becomes very busy and you have a lot more friends – but the ones that you’ve known for a long time mean a lot more to you."
There has also been speculation that there is more to the pairing than just what is happening on the court.
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Emma Raducanu (L) and Carlos Alcaraz
Image credit: Getty Images
Former Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios added fuel to that fire by saying on talkSPORT: "Her and Alcaraz – I think there is a little bit going on there! I don’t know..."
Tongues were wagging even further when Raducanu and Alcaraz hit together ahead of Wimbledon as part of a promotion for water company Evian.
Alcaraz recently joined Raducanu as an Evian ambassador.
Raducanu was asked at Wimbledon whether there was any truth to the rumours of a romance with Alcaraz, to which she responded with a smile: "We’re just good friends."
Raducanu is ‘going to be the boss’
The Raducanu-Alcaraz pairing is one of a number of blockbuster partnerships in the revamped mixed doubles event, which this year will be played over two days in the week before the US Open.
Also teaming up are Jannik Sinner and Emma Navarro, Jack Draper and Zheng Qinwen, and Nick Kyrgios and Naomi Osaka.
At stake is a prize pool of $1m (£730,000) for the winning team.
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Emma Raducanu (R) and Carlos Alcaraz
Image credit: Getty Images
Alcaraz says he is "super excited" to team up with Raducanu, who he has joked will be the "boss" in their pairing.
"I know Emma since a really long time ago. I have a really good relationship with her. It's going to be interesting. We are both going to enjoy, for sure. I will try to put my doubles skill on it.
"I'm super excited about it. I think it's going to be great. It was an amazing idea for the tournament."
What next for Raducanu and Alcaraz?
Before the US Open there is Wimbledon for both Raducanu and Alcaraz.
The Grand Slam starts on Monday, June 30, with Alcaraz looking to lift the title for the third year in a row.
The world No. 2 warmed up for Wimbledon by winning Queen’s.
Raducanu said she needs to get her "head in the game" before Wimbledon after losing in the second round at Eastbourne.
The British No. 1, who fell just short of a comeback against Australian teenager Maya Joint, revealed at the grass tournament that she had been dealing with "some pretty bad news"
"Unfortunately I couldn’t get over the line today but I can get some rest ahead of next week," she told the BBC.
"I feel quite tired. Just going through some stuff and I need to do my best to get my head in the game ahead of next week. Realistically, the turnaround is pretty soon – it’s only four days away really that Wimbledon starts.
"I think I’m just going to start with [a day off] tomorrow and then hopefully I can get on the court on Friday."
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