Emma Raducanu lifts lid on Carlos Alcaraz link-up: He has been my motivation for years
Emma Raducanu has revealed the motivation behind her doubles link-up with Carlos Alcaraz and says she will take inspiration from him at Wimbledon.
The new team – who can expect to be given a portmanteau nickname of either “Alcaranu” or “Raducaraz” – are one of several eye-catching partnerships set to make their debuts at the US Open in August.
Alcaraz joked that when he proposed the pair join forces for the $ 1million event, Raducanu took “a while” to reply to him.
“Gotta keep them on their toes!,” Raducanu laughed before clarifying she had to go through the formality of asking her coach before responding to the request.
“He’s so nice, very happy, amazing values and just a really positive light to be around. Good tennis player as well, great tennis player.
“I remember he beat Stef [Tsitsipas] in the third round [at the US Open in 2021] and it was like a big win, his breakout kind of win on a big stage and it was really cool to go through that tournament together. I kept going through the US Open, but we were staying in touch for the whole time and it’s nice. We have a good relationship still. He’s obviously overtaken me a lot, but it’s nice that we have that from a while ago.”
🪙 .@carlosalcaraz and @EmmaRaducanu are still working to get on the same page ahead of the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship 😅 pic.twitter.com/NKlWjzXrOO
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) June 19, 2025
Raducanu was spotted on the Queen’s Club balcony with Myah Petchey, daughter of her coach Mark, watching Alcaraz’s semi-final victory over Roberto Bautista Agut last Saturday as she continued her recovery from a back spasm ahead of Eastbourne and Wimbledon.
She says Queen’s winner Alcaraz, who is after a Wimbledon “three-peat”, has plenty of magic to bring to their partnership, with the pair’s history starting in 2021, when she was catapulted to superstardom by winning the US Open. Then, Alcaraz was ranked 55th in the world – Raducanu was 150th – and for both of them, the tournament was a coming-of-age moment that would change the trajectory of their careers.
Raducanu lifted the trophy months after doing her A Levels, while Alcaraz announced himself on the world stage by knocking out then-third seed Tsitsipas on Arthur Ashe. It was during that tournament that the two teenagers encountered each other for the first time, and it is at the same venue that they will make their doubles debut in August this year.
“When I see him play, he’s always got a smile on his face and enjoying it,” Raducanu said. That’s why he’s able to do such crazy shots, turn points around that he’s maybe not favoured to and pull out these ridiculous shots. It’s coming from a place of curiosity.
“It’s amazing to have that on the men’s side and take inspiration when I can.”
On June 17, it was announced that Raducanu’s stalker was blocked in his attempt to buy Wimbledon tickets for the summer’s tournament, after officials spotted his name on the list of applicants.
The man, who is understood to be from South America, had applied last year in the public ballot.
“I think when I heard that I was like Wimbledon has done an amazing job and I got a notification and the police contacted me and told me and assured me everything was good, everything was okay,” Raducanu told the BBC when asked about the news.
“I know I’m not the first athlete to go through this and I won’t be the last. I feel comfortable, I feel safe, I feel great. I’ve had protection whenever I’ve been at these events recently and I feel okay.”
Raducanu’s preparations for Wimbledon have been far from straightforward as she continues to contend with a back issue that forced her to pull out of the Berlin Open last week.
During her quarter-final defeat to Zheng Qinwen in west London, a medic was called to court, and Raducanu later admitted she needed painkillers to get through it.
Admitting the issue “needs a lot of work” the British No 1 has been doing a combination of dry needling, soft tissue massages, muscle stimulation and taping, but the day before her opening round match against Ann Li on the south coast, she was untroubled by it in morning practice.
“I have good days and bad days with it,” Raducanu said, adding: “I’m just trying to manage it as best as I can.”
For Raducanu, who described the problem as a “vulnerability” that needs care rather than something serious, it remains to be seen how much of a problem it will cause at Eastbourne and SW19.
