'Just friends': Emma Raducanu quashes Carlos Alcaraz dating rumours

30 June 2025, 15:32 | Updated: 30 June 2025, 15:37

Emma Raducanu has confirmed that she and Carlos Alcaraz are “good friends” and nothing more after the pair were pictured together once more.

The British number one has quashed rumours of romance after being asked about their relationship during a pre-Wimbledon press conference.

Ahead of the first round matches on Monday, Raducanu and Alcaraz were pictured together for an Evian advertisement. It had previously been confirmed the long-time friends will play mixed doubles together at the US Open in August.

Asked if she and Alcaraz, the defending Wimbledon champion, were dating, Raducanu told a press conference: “We’re good friends.”

World number 53 Danielle Collins wrote on her social media: "Brutal!! @emmaraducanu such a heartbreaker," alongside a laughing emoji.

The 22-year-old Brit has also last week praised Wimbledon officials for blocking her stalker from buying tickets for the upcoming tournament.

Raducanu has endured tough spells since becoming the first British woman to win a slam since 1977, when she took the US Open singles title in 2021.

This year she has suffered with back spasms, which led to her pulling out of the Berlin Open, as well as the stalker ordeal. In February, she revealed a “fixated” man had turned up at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Raducanu goes into Wimbledon as the world number 38 on the back of a solid grass-court season so far, having reached the Queen’s Club quarter-final.

Read also: When is Wimbledon 2025: Carlos Alcaraz favourite after Queen's victory

The US Open has reformed its mixed doubles tournament for this year, making it a two-day bash ahead of the main tournament.

Playing alongside five-time slam winner Alcaraz will give Raducanu a great chance of success and also the chance to reacquaint with an “old friend”.

Here is how they have got to know each other.

Inside Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz’s friendship

Both 22-year-olds have been friends for a few years now, meeting at the 2021 US Open - where Alcaraz made an early impression with a run to the quarter finals. Raducanu, meanwhile, made waves by winning the whole thing in her first appearance at Flushing Meadows.

She told the Guardian: “I remember he beat Stef [Tsitsipas] in the third round and it was like a big win, his breakout win on a big stage and it was really cool to kind of go through that tournament together. We have a good relationship still. He’s obviously overtaken me a lot, but it’s nice we have that from a while ago.”

Alcaraz is the defending champion at Wimbledon and is in superb grass court form, having won last week’s Queen’s tournament. Raducanu was seen watching her doubles partner at Queens and the pair are now set to spend more time together as they prepare for Flushing Meadows.

Raducanu said she saw some “really cool drop volleys” from the men’s world number two but hopes that some of the magic can be saved for New York.

She added: “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 and because 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.”

Alcaraz has said that he asked the British number one to play with him.

“I’ve known Emma for a really long time, so we know each other,” the Spaniard said. “I have a really good relationship with her. We are going to enjoy it, for sure.

“I will try to bring my doubles skill. We will try to win, but obviously it’s going to be really, really fun. I was thinking that I couldn’t play better unless it was with Emma. I just asked Emma if she wants to play doubles with me. Yeah, I made that special request.”