Carlos Alcaraz has called Emma Raducanu ‘the boss’ in their doubles partnership and said he will ‘do whatever she wants me to do’.
The high-profile pairing of the 22-year-old British star and Spanish five-time Grand Slam champion has generated a huge amount of interest on and off the court.
Rumours of romance between the pair had been intensifying but Raducanu shot those down last week when asked about it, smiling and saying: ‘We’re just good friends.’
The duo, who both won in the first round at Wimbledon, have known each other for years and Raducanu previously gushed about the ‘genuine connection’ they have, while also praising Alcaraz’s morals.
They are both currently competing at Wimbledon in the singles but will combine in an upcoming doubles partnership at the US Open.
When asked by the BBC about what she expects from Alcaraz on court, Raducanu said: ‘I would like to know how much of the court he can cover in New York?!’
Carlos Alcaraz joked that he will do whatever Emma Raducanu wants him to do on court
The pair featured as ambassadors in an event last with water company Evian and are teaming up in the mixed doubles at the US Open later this year
Alcaraz laughed and replied: ‘I’m just gonna 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.’
Raducanu was happily able to laugh off the rumours of a romantic relationship between them.
After insisting they are just good friends last week, the interview moderator then cut off further questions, prompting Raducanu to laugh and remark: ‘Way to wrap up!’
The two US Open champions – Raducanu won in 2021, Alcaraz a year later – are close, 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 about Alcaraz when asked how their bond began.
‘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.
Raducanu (left) won her Wimbledon first-round singles match, as did Alcaraz (right)
Raducanu was also seen at Queen’s earlier this month supporting Alcaraz from the stands
‘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 Mail Sport at Queen’s that Raducanu made him wait before agreeing to team up.
‘Gotta keep them on their toes!’ Raducanu joked.
‘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 turned up to watch Alcaraz at Queen’s, a tournament he went on to win prior to Wimbledon.
For now, they will both be concentrating on their singles campaigns on grass before attention turns to the US Open doubles.
This year, it is a standalone event starting on August 19-20 before the tournament begins on August 24.
The prize money has been ramped up to $1million (£726,000) in a bid to attract more high-profile singles players to compete, which has done the trick.
Raducanu, 22, and Alcaraz, 22, have been close since their teenage years on tour
Both US Open winners, the pair are long-time friends, first meeting at Wimbledon in 2021
Meanwhile, at Wimbledon, Raducanu launched her campaign with a victory over Mimi Xu in straight sets, thrashing her teenage compatriot.
And Alcaraz survived a scare, overcoming Fabio Fognini in five thrilling sets to progress to the second round.
