Latest news with #CarlosAlcaraz
BBC News
an hour ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Five men to watch out for at Wimbledon
Wimbledon 2025Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England ClubCoverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full coverage details. Carlos Alcaraz will begin his bid for a third Wimbledon title in a row when the Grand Slam begins on question is - can anyone stop him?The Spanish world number two defeated seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the previous two men's finals on Centre Court at 22-year-old could follow Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic as only the fifth man in the Open era to win three straight Wimbledon his epic French Open final triumph over world number one Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz clinched the Queen's title to start his grass-court season on a Jack Draper leads Britain's hopes of a home champion, BBC Sport takes a look at who else could challenge Alcaraz over the coming fortnight. Novak Djokovic - the history chaser Age: 38 Country: Serbia Ranking: 6 Strength: Defence Djokovic had won four Wimbledon titles in a row before losing a five-set thriller to Alcaraz in also swept Djokovic aside a year later to again deny the former world number one a record-equalling eighth men's continues to pursue an outright-record 25th major singles title since drawing level with Margaret Court at the 2023 US Open.A new era in men's tennis has dawned, with Alcaraz and Sinner sharing the past six slams between them - and seven of the past eight since Alcaraz's first Wimbledon title two years Djokovic, behind only Roger Federer for men's titles won at SW19, remains an ever-present threat on the sport's biggest stages - not least on grass - as he pursues yet another historic feat. Jannik Sinner - the world number one Age: 23 Country: Italy Ranking: 1 Strength: Precision Sinner was devastated by his loss to Alcaraz at Roland Garros, missing three championship points after taking a two-set lead in a five-and-a-half hour has reached at least the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in the past three years, with his best result a semi-final defeat by Djokovic in a surprise second-round loss to Alexander Bublik at the Halle Open this month cut short the world number one's has maintained his stranglehold on the top ranking for 12 months, despite serving a three-month doping suspension earlier this means he can only meet second seed Alcaraz in the final - something that would be eagerly anticipated after their Roland Garros thriller. Alexander Bublik - the unpredictable threat Age: 28 Country: Kazakhstan Ranking: 30 Strength: Drop shot Bublik's resurgence continues to gather Kazakh's career had stagnated to the point that he considered quitting tennis after losing in the Wimbledon third round last lost eight of his first 10 matches in 2025 as he fell to 82 the rankings, but his coach's suggestion of a "Hangover"-style reset in Las Vegas appears to have worked reaching his first major quarter-final with a superb run at the French Open, the unpredictable Bublik won the Halle Open to rise to 30th in the victory over Sinner was one of four wins over the top-eight seeds on his way to an emotional title triumph - proving that, on his day, he is a match for anyone. Daniil Medvedev - the nearly man Age: 29 Country: Russia Ranking: 9 Strength: Return A Wimbledon semi-finalist in each of the past two editions, can Medvedev take the next step this year?Medvedev is one of just five active men's players to win a major, having triumphed at the 2021 US Open - but he has lost his five other major former world number one is a hard-court specialist - his six major finals have been split between the Australian Open and US Open - but he has a solid recent record at was stopped by eventual champion Alcaraz in the last four in both 2023 and 2024, winning the first set in last year's meeting on Centre Court before being prepared for this year's tournament by reaching the Halle final, losing to Bublik in straight sets, and will expect another deep run at Wimbledon. Jiri Lehecka - the dark horse Age: 23 Country: Czech Republic Ranking: 25 Strength: Forehand Lehecka crashed the party at Queen's by beating Draper on route to the final, where he offered admirable resistance in a three-set loss to 23-year-old reached a career-high rank of 22 in February after winning his first eight matches of the year, clinching the Brisbane title before losing to Djokovic in the Australian Open fourth round.A run to the Madrid Open semi-finals last year - where he beat the great Rafael Nadal and Medvedev - was ended by an unfortunate back injury, which ultimately ruled him out of to full fitness this year, he demonstrated his grass-court pedigree at Queen's and will look to maintain that momentum to improve on his fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon in 2023.
The Independent
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Wimbledon: How to get tennis tickets in queue and register for 2026 ballot
The 2025 Championships at Wimbledon are upon us as the All England Club opens its doors to the tennis world once again. Carlos Alcaraz is eyeing a third consecutive title in SW19, and is also looking to become the second player to win Roland Garros, Queen's and Wimbledon in the same year. World No 1 Jannik Sinner and British No 1 Jack Draper are the other favourites in the men's draw. World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the favourite for the women's title, with 2022 champion Elena Rybakina and French Open winner Coco Gauff also leading contenders. Czech player Barbora Krejcikova is the defending champion. Emma Raducanu, who missed out on a seeding, leads the British contingent in the women's draw, having overtaken Katie Boulter as British No 1 recently. Follow all 14 days of Wimbledon 2025 with The Independent How to buy Wimbledon 2025 tickets Wimbledon continues to be one of the only major sporting events where fans can get tickets on the day of play. The All England Club welcomes more than 40,000 fans per day. With enough dedication, you can brave the queue at Wimbledon Park, near Southfields tube station, which is still a key part of the Wimbledon experience. Fans can queue up - often camping overnight - in order to be at the front of the queue to obtain tickets for either Centre Court or Court 1 for the first 10 days of The Championships. Usually, there are 500 tickets available for Centre Court and 500 available for Court 1. Fans are advised to go to the end of The Queue in Wimbledon Park to obtain a Queue Card. The card will be dated and numbered with your position in The Queue. Fans must retain their Queue Card until the ticket sales structure begins, and are then able to purchase a ticket. The Queue can start the evening before the day's play, with many fans also arriving early in the morning. Ticket sales start at 9.45am in Wimbledon Park, while the grounds open at 10am. Play on outside courts start at 11am, Court 1 at 1pm and Centre at 1:30pm. More information can be found here, with ticket prices here. How do I enter the 2026 public ballot? Fans keen to grab a ticket for the 2026 Championships can now declare their interest. The tournament is scheduled from 29 June to 12 July. The public ballot usually opens in September. For more info, click here. When does Wimbledon start? The 2025 Championships start on Monday 30 June and will finish on Sunday 13 July. Play will start at 11am (BST) on all the outside courts, with Court 1 starting at 1pm and Centre Court at 1:30pm. As tradition dictates, Alcaraz, the defending men's singles champion, will open the tournament on Centre Court on Monday 30 June. Krejcikova, the defending women's singles champion, will open Centre Court proceedings on Tuesday 1 July. What is the full Wimbledon schedule? Monday 30 June – Singles first round Tuesday 1 July – Singles first round Wednesday 2 July – Singles second round; Men's and Women's doubles first round Thursday 3 July – Singles second round; Men's and Women's doubles first round Friday 4 July – Singles third round; Men's and Women's doubles second round; Mixed Doubles first round Saturday 5 July – Singles third round; Men's and Women's doubles second round; Mixed Doubles first round; Juniors (18 & under) singles first round Sunday 6 July – Singles fourth round; Men's and Women's doubles third round; Mixed Doubles second round; Juniors singles first round Monday 7 July – Singles fourth round; Men's and Women's doubles third round; Mixed Doubles quarter-finals; Girls singles second round; Boys Doubles first round Tuesday 8 July – Singles and doubles quarter-finals; Mixed Doubles semi-finals; Wheelchair Singles first round; Boys singles Second Round; Girls doubles first round Wednesday 9 July – Singles and doubles quarter-finals; Quad wheelchair singles quarter-finals; Wheelchair doubles quarter-finals; Junior singles third round; Junior doubles second round Thursday 10 July – Women's singles semi-finals; Men's doubles semi-finals; Mixed Doubles final; Wheelchair singles quarter-finals; Wheelchair doubles semi-finals; Junior singles and doubles quarter-finals Friday 11 July – Men's singles semi-finals; Women's doubles semi-finals; Men's, Women's and Quad Wheelchair singles semi-finals; Junior singles and doubles semi-finals Saturday 12 July – Women's singles final (4pm); Men's Doubles final (1pm); Women's wheelchair singles final; Men's and Quad wheelchair doubles final; Girls singles and doubles final; Boys doubles final Sunday 13 July – Men's singles final (4pm); Women's doubles final (1pm); Men's and Quad wheelchair singles final; Women's wheelchair doubles final; Boys singles final Subject to change How to watch Wimbledon on TV Wimbledon will be shown live on the BBC in the UK, with full coverage of the tournament available to watch on BBC One, BBC Two and across BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. TNT Sports will air a daily 90-minute highlights show and will also have live coverage of both singles finals. If you're travelling abroad and want to watch Wimbledon, then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get the best VPN deals on the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Her gran says he's not good enough for her, but here are the clues that British tennis star Emma Raducanu and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz are a perfect pairing
As fairy-tale romances go, it certainly has all the components. During one heady summer in New York, two teenage tennis stars – both supremely talented and beautiful – burst on to the world stage on the hard courts of the US Open. Four years on, what better plot development could there be than a real-life romantic pairing between the ever-smiling Spanish charm of Carlos Alcaraz and the dazzling glamour of Emma Raducanu? Certainly, the world of tennis has been abuzz with rumours about a Hollywood-style love story, ever since it was announced last week that World No 2 Alcaraz – on a high after beating the World No 1 Jannik Sinner in an epic French Open final earlier this month – would be playing mixed doubles with Raducanu, who recently regained her spot as British No 1. She was seen cheering the strapping star on before his win at Queen's Club last weekend and there was even speculation that he had been spotted at the same hotel as her. So the question on every tennis fan's lips is: does the spark between the duo, both 22 (just look at them laughing on camera together as their sporting partnership is unveiled) signal the start of a genuine romance, or more of a convenient 'showmance'? Because even the merest hint that the hottest tennis love affair since Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi might be brewing must be the marketing equivalent of serving an ace at match point. Coincidentally – or not – the pair share both agents (sports marketing giant IMG) and sponsors (Nike and Evian). Emma's company, Harbour 6 Ltd, recorded a profit of £9.6 million in 2023 and she is said to make around £100,000 a year from each of the brands she works with; Carlos, meanwhile, is reported to have made $32 million in off-court endorsements last year. Then there are the organisers of the revamped US Open mixed doubles event, at which the pair will play together. What better publicity could there be than a frisson between the star athletes? Indeed, the US Open is familiar turf to IMG, in its role representing and advising the US Tennis Association (USTA) on international and domestic media rights. As one tennis insider told the Mail this week: 'As lovely as it would be, it all seems very well-orchestrated to me. 'Alcaraz has just won the French Open and is the talk of the town; he's the Wimbledon defending champion. And then there is Raducanu, who might not be winning tournaments but is certainly being talked about all the time. 'It's like a match made in heaven, at least from a marketing and sponsorship perspective.' However, the Mail has learned from others that far from being a partnership engineered by publicity savvy agents, this is more personal. According to a longstanding friend of Alcaraz: 'He was so nervous to ask her to play mixed doubles. Honestly, it was like he was asking her out on a date. He went bright red, like a schoolboy with a crush. 'I've always said Emma would be perfect for him and he blushes every time I mention it. Can you imagine what their children would look like? A super-race of gorgeous, talented athletes. 'I really hope they get together – it'd be wonderful for tennis, and great for Carlos. He's a decent chap. She could do a lot worse.' As to whether anything had actually happened between them, he says: 'If nothing has developed between them it's probably because of shyness, and perhaps they are worried about how it would affect their game. 'Watch this space though – perhaps when things calm down after Wimbledon?' Alcaraz, whose net worth is estimated somewhere north of £35 million, is by all accounts a family-loving young man, who thinks his mum's cooking is the best in the world and about whom no one seems to have a bad to say. He would, therefore, be viewed by many as a great catch. But one person who is unimpressed by him is Emma's granny, who feels he is not good enough for her granddaughter. Niculina Raducanu, 92, told the Mail on Friday she wasn't aware that the British star was seeing anyone. 'She is allowed to have boyfriends, she is 22. But she never talked to me about her love life,' she said. When presented with rumours that she was seeing Alcaraz, and shown a photo of the star, she said through an interpreter: 'I know him from TV, he's that tennis player. 'I'm surprised. I know her to be more particular. A bit picky when it comes to boys. To be honest, I'm not sure he is for her or that there is truth in this.' Using a Romanian phrase, which roughly translates to one who wears their heart on the sleeve, she added: 'I wish for her someone you can read their soul on their face.' So, with the tournament at the All-England Club starting on Monday, what exactly do we know of the friendship between two players with matching megawatt smiles and who grew up playing the junior tennis circuit at the same time? As Raducanu herself says, the pair 'go back a long way'. An old friend of the Bromley-raised star told the Mail that even on the junior circuit the two were close. 'Back in juniors they were always chatting, always gravitating toward each other. I thought they'd end up a couple. It started as a cheeky friendship, then a real bond . . . I think it's magical.' Whether the magic translates into romance or prizes (there's $1million up for grabs at the mixed doubles event) remains to be seen, but it was the US Open, in 2021, where their paths really began to merge. Raducanu made history when she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title, keeping an expectant home nation glued to their television screens in only her fourth-ever professional tournament. Fresh from completing her A-levels, and ranked at No 150 in the world, she delivered the fairy-tale finish nobody had dreamed of. Alcaraz also sprang to prominence, knocking out world No 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-set tiebreak to reach the fourth round in the biggest win of his career at that time. He went on to reach the quarter-finals, returning to take the title the following year. It is, therefore, fitting that it will be at Flushing Meadow again where they are set to debut as a pair. Since the announcement was made both players have been giddily talking about it. First we had Alcaraz declaring that he couldn't think of anyone better to play with than Raducanu. 'I just asked Emma if she wants to play doubles with me. Yeah, I made that special request.' 'She's gonna be the boss,' he said, adding: 'I've known Emma since a really long time ago, so we know each other. I have really good relationship with her. So it's just gonna be interesting. 'We will try to win. But obviously it's going to be really, really fun.' And asked about the partnership by the BBC this week, Raducanu positively gushed in uncharacteristic fashion. 'He asked me earlier on in the year,' she said. 'I was very surprised, honoured and obviously excited. I just went through the formality of asking my coach, but of course, I was gonna say yes.' Cue coy giggles. There were more giggles when she was quizzed about internet rumours that the duo are 'destined for each other'. She replied, laughing: 'I'm glad the internet is having fun and we're providing some entertainment for everyone.' The pair are both prolific Instagrammers and often 'like' each other's social media posts, but it would seem there is a thread of something deeper, too. Raducanu has spoken of how she got to know the Spaniard at Wimbledon in 2021 and how they have remained friends even though his star has risen, while her career has been blighted by injury, poor performance and the challenge of finding a coach she can gel with. 'He's obviously overtaken me a lot, but it's nice that we have that from a while ago,' she says. 'I think for all of us, we really kind of value those connections that we had from when we were young. Because when you become a bit more known or a bit more successful, you just find yourself reverting back to people you knew from a young age because you're like, that's a real genuine connection, because it becomes very busy and you have a lot more friends, but the ones that you've known for a long time mean a lot more to you.' It would seem the rapport has been noted by those close to Raducanu, too. An agency insider says: 'They are close, and we've been ribbing them about the rumours, of course. 'They're both quite shy – not big daters – but they're comfortable with one another, which is lovely to see. They're almost like brother and sister . . . yet there's definitely a spark. You can feel it.' As for their respective relationship histories, Alcaraz is reported to have broken up with his girlfriend, amateur tennis player Maria Gonzalez Gimenez, in 2022. Raducanu, meanwhile, previously dated Carlo Agostinelli, the Harrow-educated son of billionaire financier Robert Agostinelli, but the two split last summer after a year together. There have been rumours of a frisson with fellow British player Jack Draper – who seems to have been overlooked as a mixed doubles partner (he's playing the same tournament with Olympic champion Qinwen Zhen). A stalwart presence in her player's box through the years has been her childhood friend and fellow child tennis star Benjamin Heynold, a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina, in the US. She's also had to cope with the upsetting ordeal of a stalker who has followed her to several tournaments this year and was recently blocked from buying Wimbledon tickets by organisers. During an interview last year, Alcaraz admitted he was single but added: 'I am looking for someone. It can be difficult as a tennis player to meet the right person because you are travelling all the time.' If anyone could empathise with that it must be Raducanu; her family – Romanian father and Chinese mother – kept a strict rein on her social life growing up. 'My parents were very much against that [boyfriends] as it interfered with training,' she said in an interview last year. 'When I was younger I wasn't even allowed to hang out with my girlfriends. A lot of the time I was very resentful. But it made me very confident and comfortable in my own company, which is also a big strength.' But she was wistful in an interview earlier this year, when she said: 'I think this year I've gone on loads of solo walks, solo coffee dates and just have a lot of time to kind of look inside . . . I've been enjoying it so far, even though it's not necessarily the easiest thing to do, especially when the tour is quite a lonely place.' Could Alcaraz be the man to change that? Sports marketing expert Tim Lopez, CEO of TLNT Global, says if the romance was genuine, it would catapult both players into the stratosphere. 'From a brand positioning profile and marketing perspective, it would be an absolute dream. They would be a good example of where one plus one makes three.' They would be hugely 'complementary', he adds. 'They would join ranks of other famous power couples such as Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, or, outside of tennis, the likes of Becks and Posh.' And if it's all just rumour? 'Leaving aside the impact it may have on them personally,' he says. 'It will have done nothing but promote both their names in the public consciousness and add to their already high profiles. If it's strategic . . . bravo!' As a season of tennis unfolds, wouldn't it be the ultimate sporting fairy-tale if the marketing dream of 'Raducaraz' turned into a genuine love match.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carlos Alcaraz Makes Tennis History Before Wimbledon
Carlos Alcaraz Makes Tennis History Before Wimbledon originally appeared on Athlon Sports. ATP World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, from El Palmar, Spain, has dominated this tennis season, winning five tournaments, including the French Open. Advertisement His 2025 French Open title marked his second straight victory at Roland Garros. Now, he sets his sights on Wimbledon, aiming to defend last year's championship and claim back-to-back titles there as well. The Spaniard holds five Grand Slam titles at just 22 years old and is seemingly just getting started. Alcaraz has made history away from the playing surface, too. On Friday, his tennis card featuring a match-used racket knob sold for a record-breaking amount, making it the most expensive men's tennis card in history. Carlos Alcaraz of Spain poses with the French Open trophy after winning the final against Jannik Mullane-Imagn Images Topps, an American company that manufactures trading cards, broke the news. Advertisement "JUST SOLD: Carlos Alcaraz has set the record for most expensive men's tennis card in HISTORY," said Topps. "His 1/1 Topps Royalty tennis card featuring his match-used racket knob has sold for $222,000 on @fanaticscollect last night…" Despite the jaw-dropping figure, it still fails to top Serena Williams' 2003 NetPro signed patch rookie card, which sold for $266,400 in 2024. Alcaraz is known for his ability to succeed and adapt across all three playing surfaces. In 2024, Alcaraz became just the seventh men's player in history to win a Grand Slam title on all three surfaces (clay, grass and hard courts). In fact, he is the only men's player to win his first three Grand Slam titles on three different playing surfaces — 2022 U.S. Open, 2023 Wimbledon and 2024 French Open. Advertisement Related: Coco Gauff Reveals Promise Note After Winning French Open This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Alcaraz, Sinner, Sabalenka and Swiatek top Wimbledon bill but have work cut out
About three hours and 45 minutes into his duel with Carlos Alcaraz three weeks ago, Jannik Sinner lowered himself into his return stance for what he hoped would be the last rally of a near-flawless fortnight. Sinner held three championship points for what would be one of the most monumental victories of his career. Just one of those three would have earned him a first grand slam title away from hard courts and redefined the terms of engagement with Alcaraz, the only player to beat him for 10 months. Sinner would then have drawn level with the Spaniard on four grand slam titles. The margins that determine success have always been precarious but few occasions exemplified this like Paris. Instead of Sinner reinforcing his status as the world's best, Alcaraz produced another legendary moment in his young career with one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Although the Italian remains No 1 and the best player in the world based on his performances over the past year, on the eve of Wimbledon Alcaraz is the player to beat. Since Roland Garros, the momentum and good vibes surrounding the champion have only increased. He followed his three-day interlude in Ibiza by winning at Queen's Club for a second time. While he still considers clay his favourite surface, the 22-year-old's grass record is astounding. He has amassed 29 wins and three defeats, winning 25 of his past 26 matches on the surface. He has more grass-court titles – four – than losses. He heads into Wimbledon as the clear favourite and will attempt to become the fifth man in the Open era to win the singles title three times in a row. It will take time for Sinner, who is nine months older, to come to terms with the French Open defeat, which was still playing on his mind when he lost in the second round of the Halle Open last week to Alexander Bublik. But another grand slam tournament also provides him with an opportunity to forge ahead with fresh motivation. Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the past six grand slam titles, shutting out the rest of the field and until there is a significant shift, it is difficult to choose the rest of the field over these two players. Novak Djokovic, however, continues to relish the challenge of trying to disrupt the youngsters. At the age of 38 he has clearly been third-best player at the grand slams this year, reaching two semi-finals, with victories over Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. On grass, where the seven-time Wimbledon champion's understanding of the surface is second to none and the faster conditions are more helpful to his ageing body, Wimbledon has always represented his biggest opportunity of becoming the oldest slam champion in the Open era. It is clear that Jack Draper will command the most attention at the beginning. The Briton's past year has been remarkable, with the 23-year-old rising from No 40 to No 4, winning his first Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells and reaching his first slam semi-final at the US Open. Draper has everything he could possibly want to make a deep run on the grass – a well-rounded, increasingly complete game and his destructive lefty serve and forehand are well-suited to the fast surface. While most British players have some sort of early breakthrough at Wimbledon, Draper, at 23, has never passed the second round and his success has come on foreign shores. He has never experienced the pressure and attention that comes with being a top home player and genuine contender on Centre Court. In the long run, Draper has the character and single-minded focus to handle these situations and produce his best tennis but the coming week will be a fascinating test of his character and current readiness for these moments. The women's draw is shrouded in even more uncertainty. Aryna Sabalenka has clearly established herself as the top player but, like Sinner, she arrives at Wimbledon with her ego bruised after her dramatic three-set defeat to Coco Gauff in the French Open final. Her tactless comments after the defeat, and the backlash they generated, only made things even more difficult for her. The Belarusian remains the favourite to win a first Wimbledon title, where the grass aids her ultra-offensive shotmaking. Beyond Sabalenka, there is even less clarity. Gauff has solidified herself as a true championship player by winning her second slam in Paris. However, despite her breakthrough run coming at Wimbledon, when she reached the fourth round from qualifying on her slam debut as a 15-year-old, the American, now 21, has struggled to find her best on grass. Iga Swiatek's difficulties on grass are similarly well established but, with every year, the former world No 1 does appear to grow more comfortable. After an extremely difficult period on court this year, she did leave Roland Garros with her head held high despite her dominance in Paris coming to an end after her semi-final loss to Sabalenka. As is often the case, contenders could come from anywhere. Five months on from her stunning triumph at the Australian Open, Madison Keys remains effective both on grass and at slams. Mirra Andreeva's improved serve should make her even more dangerous this year. In a sport where the margins are so tight, and there are so many players capable of performing at a high level on their day, this Wimbledon may well be decided by whoever truly rises to the occasion when they most need to.
