Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu have quickly become the talk of the tennis world after announcing their intentions to play mixed doubles at the US Open this year.
Alcaraz and Raducanu are among a number of high-profile partnerships who are set to play at the newly created event, which has caused a degree of controversy.
Tennis fans were shocked by the US Open mixed doubles pairings, which include ATP star Alcaraz teaming up with WTA ace Raducanu.
Both have triumphed at the US Open in singles, with the Spaniard lifting the trophy in 2022, one year after the Briton.
And this year they will be vying for doubles success, with their partnership certainly catching the attention of the tennis watching public more so than almost any other duo.
Raducanu even watched Alcaraz play at Queen’s earlier this month, which has done little to quell the attention around the pairing.
Nick Kyrgios makes intriguing Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz comment
And Nick Kyrgios has now added fuel to the fire in that regard, saying of the British number one on talkSPORT: “Her and Alcaraz – I think there is a little bit going on there! I don’t know [he said with a smile]!”
Raducanu is no stranger to making headlines, and has been a constant focus of media attention ever since her shock US Open victory.
The British youngster has not quite been able to find the same consistency which she delivered in New York ever since in her tennis career, which has led to her being very open to criticism.
But Kyrgios had words to defend her ahead of Wimbledon, where once again she will be carrying a degree of expectancy from the home nation’s crowds.
“It’s so hard in this day and age,” he said. “She won a Grand Slam at 19 years old and what comes with that, all the things off the court.
“There is a lot of responsibility for someone like that.”
When did Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz get to know each other?
Neither Alcaraz nor Raducanu has confirmed they are anything more than friends, but the latter has been asked by BBC Sport if she is aware of the social media talk of their potential relationship.
She was told that many parody accounts have suggested the players are destined for one another, to which she replied: “[Laughs] I am glad the internet is having fun and we are providing some entertainment for everyone!
“I mean, we go back a long way and I think we both started getting to know each other a lot more in 2021 and when I had that little run at Wimbledon, he won in five sets in the first round or something, and all through the US Open and he had a big break out win against Stef [Stefanos Tsitsipas] in the third round, I was always trying to join him in the next round because he was playing the day before me.
“Ever since we have stayed in touch. He has done so well and continued winning and it’s been amazing to see because we were speaking and friends before anyone won anything.”
While they will be aiming for US Open success later this year, both players will first be taking on Wimbledon.
Kyrgios thinks Alcaraz is the Wimbledon favourite, with the Spanish star heading into the event as the two-time defending champion.
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