Emma Raducanu showed her true colours with a brilliant reaction to fan theories about a potential romance with Carlos Alcaraz. The duo are known to be friends and will team up in the US Open mixed doubles later this year. They will be aiming for glory as one of many star-studded pairings at Flushing Meadows, where Raducanu won her only Grand Slam title back in 2021.
Ahead of their doubles link-up, Raducanu was spotted at Queen’s Club to watch Alcaraz win his semi-final against Roberto Bautista Agut. Her appearance raised eyebrows and fuelled rumours of a budding romance between the two players. Raducanu was quizzed on the speculation while speaking to BBC Sport and could not contain her laughter in a moment of giddy excitement.
The young Brit took it well and could not stop giggling after being made aware of fans insisting that she and Alcaraz are ‘destined for each other’. Another theory suggested that Alcaraz failed to win the Qatar Open because he was worried that Raducanu had injured her back.
Asked if she was aware of those rumours, Raducanu replied through laughter: “No, not quite to that extent, but I’m glad the internet is having fun and we’re providing some entertainment for everyone.
“We go back a long way and I think we both started getting to know each other a lot more in 2021. When I had that little run at Wimbledon, I think he won in five sets in the first round or something.
“And then all through the US Open, he had a big breakout win against Stef [Tsitsipas] in the third round but I was always trying to, like, join him in the next round because he was playing the day before me.
“Ever since, we’ve stayed in touch and he’s done so well since and continued winning. It’s been amazing to see because we were speaking and friends before anyone won anything.”
It remains to be seen how Raducanu will get on with Alcaraz at the US Open, with their decision to link up already attracting a huge amount of interest.
Speaking about their upcoming doubles partnership, Raducanu revealed that Alcaraz was the one who instigated it and explained that she was never going to turn it down.
“He asked me earlier in the year and I was very surprised and honoured and obviously excited,” she said. “I just went through the formality of asking my coach, but of course I was going to say yes.”