British No. 1 Emma Raducanu has opened up about her relationship with Carlos Alcaraz, as the pair prepare to team up for a mixed doubles debut at the U.S. Open later this year.
The 22-year-old Brit, who made history with her 2021 US Open triumph, revealed that her connection with the Spanish world No. 2 stretches back several years and described their upcoming partnership as a “full circle moment.”
“I had to keep him on his toes”
Alcaraz recently shared that he had to wait a while for Raducanu to respond to his invitation to pair up at Flushing Meadows. Laughing off the delay, Raducanu joked, “Gotta keep them on their toes!”
“I mean, of course, I had to ask my team if they wanted me to play,” she added. “But for me, when he asked me, I was going to say yes; I just had to go through the formality of asking my coach.”
From friendly motivation to mixed doubles
Raducanu reminisced about their early days in 2021, when both players were starting to make waves in the sport. She admitted that watching Alcaraz’s performances inspired her during her iconic run to the US Open title.
“I’ve known him for years… I remember he was always playing the day before me. I would see him win, and then I would have motivation to win too,” she said. “He beat [Stefanos] Tsitsipas in the third round, a big breakout win, and it was cool to go through that tournament together.”
A lasting connection
Despite Alcaraz’s meteoric rise, with five Grand Slam titles and counting, Raducanu said their bond has remained strong because of the genuine connection they formed before the fame.
“He’s obviously overtaken me a lot, but we still have a good relationship,” she said. “It’s nice to have someone from way back who knew you before everything changed. It means more because it’s real.”
Shared approach to tennis and life
Raducanu said she and Alcaraz also share similar mindsets, valuing joy and creativity on the court over pressure and intensity.
“I think we’re quite similar. We both play our best when we’re in a creative, positive space. You see him smiling and doing those amazing shots — it’s because he’s playing with curiosity,” she said.
While Alcaraz is known for his off-season Ibiza getaways, Raducanu prefers quieter escapes like yoga and nature walks, but sees the same desire in both of them to recharge and stay grounded.
