Carlos Alcaraz made his feelings very clear in response to Emma Raducanu rumours
Carlos Alcaraz will be licking his wounds after his dreams of clinching a third straight Wimbledon title were dashed on Sunday. The Spanish tennis star was beaten by his rival Jannik Sinner, who triumphed 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to claim his maiden SW19 crown.
Alcaraz is no doubt now experiencing a different vibe from the aftermath of last year's event. After winning the competition in 2024, he was spotted dancing the night away with women's champion Barbora Krejcikova at the annual Wimbledon Champions' Dinner, as is tradition.
Yet, it wasn't their dance moves that sparked a media frenzy but rather Emma Raducanu's presence in the Centre Court stands as he dispatched Novak Djokovic for his second Wimbledon title.
Alcaraz later found himself batting away whispers of a romance with the British star, who exited this year's tournament in the fourth round after a thrilling clash with Aryna Sabalenka. Despite the relentless rumour mill, Alcaraz brushed off any notion of love with a chuckle.
When quizzed last summer about Raducanu attending the 2024 final, he played down its significance, saying: "I don't know, I don't know. I think a lot of people came to see the final.
"I think Novak and I always put on a good game, a show on the court. I think it is a beautiful game to watch. And she is from here, so I imagine that she wanted to come and see it. If there was a Grand Slam in Murcia I would 100 percent go to the final, even if I wasn't playing."
But the Spaniard couldn't resist teasing, adding: "I don't know if she came to the finals or if she came to see me. Who knows? You have to ask her, but I hope she enjoyed the final."
Despite Alcaraz maintaining they're merely friends, speculation continues to swirl around their blockbuster pairing ahead of the US Open. Tournament bosses have unveiled a glittering lineup for their two-day mixed doubles spectacle during 'Fan Week', with all focus now on the dream team featuring both former US Open winners.
Alcaraz recently set tongues wagging when he confessed Raducanu "will be the boss" during their partnership. In a BBC chat at Wimbledon, the duo fielded questions about what they'd quiz each other on before heading to New York, reports the Express.
"Ooh, good question," Raducanu said. "I would like to know how much of the court he can cover in New York." When posed the same query, Alcaraz burst into laughter before declaring: "I'm just going to serve and I'm gonna pull myself away and I let her play. She will cover a lot of the court. She will be the boss. I will do whatever she wants me to do."
The tennis world was also sent into a top spin when Alcaraz let slip that he had made a "special request" to partner with Raducanu for the upcoming mixed event in August.
"Yeah. I mean, the tournament told us about the tournament, the mixed tournament," Alcaraz told the media. "I was thinking that I couldn't play better if it wasn't with Emma. I just asked Emma if she wants to play doubles with me. Yeah, I made that special request."
However, Raducanu didn't jump at the chance straight away, as Alcaraz, who has five Grand Slam titles under his belt, confessed she took her time before deciding to join forces.
Raducanu later said: "Got to keep them 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."
During her pre-tournament press conference for this year's Wimbledon, Raducanu again faced questions about a potential romantic connection with Alcaraz after they were spotted filming a promo together at the All England Club. She concluded by stating she had a "good time" with him, adding: "We're just good friends."
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