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Emma Raducanu has revealed that her friendship with new mixed doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz began during her dream debut run at Wimbledon in 2021, saying the five-time Grand Slam champion is ‘just a really positive light to be around’.
The 22-year-old spoke for the first time here in Eastbourne about the superstar pairing announced last week for the US Open’s revamped, $1million mixed doubles event in August.
The two US Open champions - Raducanu won in 2021, Alcaraz a year later - are good friends, growing up together on the tour.
‘He's so nice, very happy, amazing values and just a really positive light to be around,’ said Raducanu.
‘I've known him for years. Wimbledon 2021 was the first time I started getting to know him. He was always playing the day before me, I would see him win and then I would have motivation to win and get myself into that position too.
'It was really cool to go through that tournament together and then I kept going through the US Open, we were staying in touch for the whole time and, yeah, it's nice.
Emma Raducanu (left) turned up to watch new doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz at Queen's
Alcaraz watches Raducanu during a practice session at the 2022 US Open
The British No1 opened up about the origins of her friendship with the Spanish star
'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.’
Alcaraz, also 22, told us at Queen’s that Raducanu made him wait before agreeing to team up. Was she really considering turning down the two-time Wimbledon champion?
‘Gotta keep them on their toes!’ she laughed. ‘I had to ask my team if they thought I should play, but when he asked me, I was going to say yes, I just had to go through the formality of asking my coach.’
Raducanu has always valued relationships with those who knew her before her 2021 US Open triumph, and her friendship with the world No2 is an example of such.
‘I think, for all of us, we really value those connections we had from when we were young.
'When you become a bit more known or more successful, you find yourself reverting back people you knew from a young age because you're like, that's a real genuine connection.
‘It becomes very busy and you have a lot more friends but the ones you've known for a long time mean a lot more to you.’
Alcaraz credited his Queen’s Club title, won against Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s final, to a three-day holiday in Ibiza with friends after the French Open. The Spaniard said he needed that time to clear his head, have fun and return feeling fresh and enjoying his tennis.
Raducanu throws a ball while Alcaraz watches on in November last year at the Billie Jean King Cup
Raducanu opened up on the 'genuine connection' between herself and Alcaraz
Raducanu had treatment on her back during her quarter-final loss at Queen's this month
Alcaraz triumphed at Queen's with a hard fought victory over Jiri Lehecka in the final
Can Raducanu relate to that? ‘Yeah, minus the Ibiza part! I think in that sense, we are quite similar. We both play our best when we're enjoying it. You see us smile on court and have fun and really lean into to those positive emotions.
‘Whenever I have played trying to channel any negativity or that kind of energy, I don't do so well. Other players might be different but for me, I need to be positive.
‘When I see him (Alcaraz) play, he's always got a smile on his face and that’s, I feel like, why he's able to do such crazy shots, because it's like a coming from a place of curiosity.
‘It's amazing to have that on the men's side and take inspiration when I can.’
