Krejcikova made light work of Tatiana Prozorova and now could meet Raducanu in the Seoul round-of-16.
Archive of posts tagged Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu admits she is not targeting Slams e WTA 1000 titles at the moment
Emma Raducanu says she is keeping her goals realistic at the moment and isn't expecting to win Grand Slam and WTA 1000 tournaments, but highlights that will change as soon as she gets to her desired level.
Prior to coming to Cincinnati, the world No. 33 made a splash move and hired Rafael Nadal's former long-time coach Francisco Roig. When addressing the collaboration for the first time, the 22-year-old noted that she hired Roig because she thought he could help her improve her shots and get to the level where she could legitimately challenge the very best in the game.
Since winning her first and lone title at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu hasn't made any finals. Also, she hasn't been ranked inside the top-10 since early 2022.
“I know there will be a time where I'll be targeting big tournaments, Masters and Slams, but to be honest, right now, that's not my goal. My goal is to improve as a player," the 22-year-old said in Cincinnati.
Raducanu's honest expectation for the upcoming Aryna Sabalenka match in Cincinnati
For a place in the Cincinnati round-of-16, Raducanu will battle against three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka. For the 22-year-old Briton, it will be a chance to register her first-ever win against a world No. 1. However, in their previous two meetings – of which the last came at Wimbledon – the Belarusian handled the business in straight sets.
Heading into their third meeting, the British tennis player suggests the Cincinnati surface favors more the top seed.
“I'm reasonable enough, and I guess honest enough with myself, to know that different surfaces favor different people, and where my game is at in comparison. So, I think the grass gave me a bit of an advantage (against Sabalenka), but we'll see how it goes," Raducanu explained.
A bit interestingly, Raducanu is only now making her second Cincinnati appearance. In her first and lone appearance at the American WTA 1000 tournament in 2022, she reached the last-16 before losing to Jessica Pegula.
Cincinnati: Emma Raducanu routinely wins, now set for difficult Aryna Sabalenka test
Emma Raducanu handled the business in her opening match with coach Francisco Roig after ousting Olga Danilovic 6-3 6-2, and she plays Aryna Sabalenka in the Cincinnati third round.
The 30th-seeded Briton, who had a first-round bye at the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati, lost her serve twice in the first set but broke the 40th-ranked Serb three times to still take the opener. The second was more straightforward for the 2021 US Open champion, who claimed two breaks to seal a straight-set victory.
Next up for Raducanu will be a third career meeting versus top seed Sabalenka, who defeated 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-5 6-1. Last year, the current world No. 1 beat the Briton 6-3 7-5 in Indian Wells. A month ago, they met for the second time, and the Belarusian tennis star also registered a 7-6 (6) 6-4 win.
How Raducanu reacted to her performance versus Danilovic and what she can expect versus Sabalenka?
Following her opening Cincinnati win, the 2021 US Open champion acknowledged that it wasn't an ideal performance. However, the 22-year-old was still pretty happy with her display.
“Bar the first game today, that was not very much fit, but other than that, I was pretty mature and disciplined in my performance. I took care of my service games really well. And I knew that playing Olga, who's really difficult and really dangerous as a lefty and with big strikes, it was going to be important," the world No. 33 said after her opening win.
Against Sabalenka, Raducanu has yet to win a set. However, the British tennis player managed to cause some problems to the Belarusian during their Wimbledon match – especially in the first set – when she didn't convert some chances. Also, it is worth mentioning that the world No. 1 is only now playing her first tournament since Wimbledon, while the Briton is already playing her third tournament on hard this summer.
It remains to be seen if Raducanu can pull off an upset and beat Sabalenka for the first time in Cincinnati.
Emma Raducanu makes it crystal clear what she wants from Rafael Nadal's ex-coach
Emma Raducanu sounds ecstatic over adding Francisco Roig to her team and highlights the main thing she wants from Rafael Nadal's former coach is to help her improve her game to the level where she can legitimately challenge the very best in the game.
Ahead of Cincinnati, the 2021 US Open champion made a major announcement, revealing that Nadal's former coach of 17 years agreed to work with her.
So far this year, there hasn't been much stability in Raducanu's coaching staff. After Nick Cavaday left the team in late January, the 22-year-old was assisted by some LTA coaches, before having an unsuccessful two-week stint with Vladimir Platenik in March. Ultimately, the British tennis player hired Mark Petchey – but since he has his own commentary commitments – he wasn't a full-time presence in the box until the grass season.
But now, Raducanu's tumultuous 2025 coaching situation may have come to an end with the Roig appointment.
Raducanu: Roig has got a bank of experience… I want the quality of my shots to be better
“It’s going really well, it’s my second day here with him here, but I did a few days in London before I came out here. He’s obviously got a bank of experience and I’m very excited to continue working with him and to have him on my side," the Briton said.
So far in her career, Raducanu has collected three wins against top-10 players. This year, the 22-year-old played against Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Zheng Qinwen, and lost all of those meetings. Her lone top-10 win of the year came against Emma Navarro in Miami. And that's one aspect that she wants to fix.
“I’m working on the quality of my shots to be better. I think against the very top that’s what it needs, it needs to improve. So I’m hoping that with time – I’m pretty patient, I’m going to try and be pretty patient – that it’ll improve," Raducanu underlined.
In the Cincinnati first round, Raducanu will play against a qualifier.
Raducanu Hires Francisco Roig as New Coach
By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, August 5, 2025
Photo credit: Mubadala Citi DC Open Facebook
Emma Raducanu has hired Franciso Roig in an effort to continue a renaissance season.
The 2021 US Open champion has hired Rafael Nadal’s former coach through the end of the 2025 season, PA News Agency reports.
The 57-year-old Spaniard was a long-time coaching member of Nadal’s team, later coached Matteo Berrettini and has experience coaching on the WTA Tour as well. Roig, who reached a career-high rank of No. 60 on the ATP Tour, also coached 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens.
Roig succeeds Mark Petchey, who had been coaching Raducanu on an informal basis since the Miami Open. Tennis Channel analyst had agreed to work with Raducanu through the end of the grass-court season, but could not commit to coaching her full time because of his television commentary obligations.
Working with Petchey, who previously coached Andy Murray, Raducanu registered some of her best results in years.
The 22-year-old Raducanu reached quarterfinals at Miami and Queen’s Club and was a semifinalist in Washington, DC. Working with Petchey, Raducanu applied her athleticism and found the joy in her tennis.
The 33rd-ranked Raducanu has defeated former Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and Marketa Vondrusova in recent months and led world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka by a break in both sets before bowing 7-6(6), 6-4 in the Wimbledon third round.
After that match, Raducanu said she hoped to continue working with Petchey, but understood his position.
“Yeah, it’s very difficult. He obviously also has his commentating commitments,” Raducanu said at Wimbledon. “He agreed to kind of help me until the end of Wimbledon and then we kind of see from there because he gave up some work to work with me here, which I really appreciate and I’m grateful for.”
The challenge Roig faces is encouraging Raducanu to continue to apply her athleticism, all-court skills and versatility, particularly against big hitters, who can overpower her. Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova crushed Raducanu 6-2, 6-1 in Montreal playing bold first-strike tennis.
Still, Raducanu should be encouraged with the strides she made working with Petchey that prompted No. 1 Sabalenka to make a bold assertion about the Briton.
“I cannot predict anything, but I definitely sure that, maybe not in a month, but maybe a bit longer period, but she definitely going to get back in top,” Sabalenka said after her Wimbledon win over Raducanu. “She’s fighting. She’s playing much better.
“She’s more consistent. I can see that mentally she’s healthy. I think that’s really important. Yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s getting there.”
Anisimova Annihilates Raducanu in Dominant Montreal Performance
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 1, 2025
Photo credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty
The rematch was a mismatch.
Crackling highly charged drives, Amanda Anisimova jolted Emma Raducanu backward like a woman stricken by surges of static electricity.
In a brilliant performance of power tennis, Anisimova routed Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 in a 64-minute thrashing to roll into the Montreal round of 16.
It was Anisimova’s first win over Raducanu in three meetings as she avenged a 6-1, 6-3 loss to the talented Briton in front of home fans in Miami in March.
In that match, Anisimova was bothered by a left wrist issue.
Tonight, Anisimova strong-armed Raducanu with disarming drives from the first point.
The Wimbledon finalist whipped deep strikes persistently pushing Raducanu corner to corner. Anisimova broke twice in a row charging out to a 4-1 lead.
rock solid performance š¤@AnisimovaAmanda secures her place in the last 16 after defeating Raducanu 6-2, 6-1.#OBN25 pic.twitter.com/aMCq4jLlmo
— wta (@WTA) August 2, 2025
Holding for the first time 28 minutes into the match, Raducanu made a push going up love-30 in the Americanās ensuing service game. Anisimova shoved her right back into place, blistering a backhand winner down the line that lashing an ace down the T as part of a four-point run to hold for 5-2.
Even when Raducanu hit her spot on serve, Anisimova was unleashing whiplash returns near the lines. A biting backhand return down the line gave the American a second set point.
Anisimova turned her hips and shoulders into a jarring return sealing a one-set lead with her third break of the set. Anisimova hit 12 winnersānine more than Raducanuāand played much of the 40-minute opener off her front foot.
That opening set was just a prelude to the powerful combinations Anisimova administered in the secodn set.
The fifth-seeded Anisimova won eight straight points to ignite a second-set surge that saw her snatch a 5-0 lead.
It wasn’t that Raducanu even played poorly, an oppressive Anisimova barely gave the Briton an opportunity to play at all. Raducanu held at 30 to deny a second-set bagel.
On a day when defending champion Jessica Pegula was upset by former US Open semifinalist Anastasija Sevastova, the 2024 finalist Anisimova was in cruise control.
Anisimova served out a commanding 64-minute conquest at love firing one final forehand winner crosscourt. The pair embraced at net afterward with both women sharing a smile over Anisimova’s brilliance.
Doha champion Anisimova will face Elina Svitolina for a quarterfinal spot.
The 10th-seeded Svitolina swept Washington, DC finalist Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-1 breaking five times in a 55-minute dissection.
Montreal: Emma Raducanu gets dismantled in 3R, while Iga Swiatek easily wins
Emma Raducanu is out of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal after being crushed 2-6 1-6 by Amanda Anisimova, while Iga Swiatek extended her winning streak to nine matches after making light work of Eva Lys 6-2 6-2.
Anisimova, who was beaten by Raducanu earlier this year at the Australian Open and Miami, came out determined to make a statement early on and she did so by breaking the Briton three times in the opening set. The second set was a similar story as the fifth-seeded American took the opening five games before serving out for the win in the seventh game.
In the Swiatek and Lys match, there wasn't any drama as the six-time Grand Slam champion got the job done routinely by claiming two breaks in each set. It was a clinical performance from the Polish tennis star, who faced only one break and saved it.
In the Montreal round-of-16, Anisimova will battle against Elina Svitolina, who beat Anna Kalinskaya. On the other side, Swiatek will fight against Clara Tauson – the same rival she beat en route to winning Wimbledon.
Swiatek's reaction to beating Lys
Going into their Montreal meeting, Swiatek and Lys had met twice and the Pole won both of those meetings – 6-1 6-1 in 2022 Stuttgart, 6-0 6-1 at this year's Australian Open. While the Pole gave no chance to Lys again, she insisted that it wasn't really an easy match.
“It’s always fun here. It was a solid match so I’m happy to have a chance to play another one here. The match was different from how we played each other last time. I just focused on myself and knew what my plan was, but Eva played some great down-the-lines and sometimes was really able to use her wrist and play some fast balls. It wasn’t easy, but I’m happy I just did my job," Swiatek said after her win.
Ex-Slam finalist lays out one strong reason why Emma Raducanu can win Major again
Pam Shriver is not ruling out the possibility of Emma Raducanu winning a Grand Slam once again as the 1978 US Open runner-up suggests that if a player has done it once, they certainly have the mindset to do it at least one more time.
How the British tennis player became a Grand Slam winner in a historic way and the criticism she faced after failing to keep up with the same level in the aftermath of her win is well-documented.
Last week, Raducanu came very close to making her first final of any sort since the 2022 US Open. Sadly for the 22-year-old, she fell just short in her bid after Anna Kalinskaya handed her a 6-4 6-3 loss in the Washington semifinal.
Overall, Raducanu is 23-15 this year and ranked at No. 33 in the world. Over the past year, the Briton has improved certain areas in her game – she has managed to stay healthier – and it is positively reflecting on her results. However, she still remains without a really big result or something that could propel her to the top of the game.
While Shriver – who has one Grand Slam final on her resume and multiple semifinals – acknowledges that Raducanu's results haven't been the best for the past four years, she still believes it is possible for the 22-year-old to lift a Grand Slam glory.
Shriver on Raducanu's future Slam chances
"Obviously, in the last say three and a half years, four years she’s kind of fallen back into kind of like a solid player with some good results during the year. But if you just took her resume, take that US Open out, that one tournament out, you would probably say no she’s not going to win one. She might have some quarterfinals, semifinals, but when you know that somebody’s had the mindset to do it once you always think sure, they can do it again," Shriver said on Talking Tennis.
Last year, Raducanu confidently said in one of her interviews that she was "going to win Wimbledon one day."
This year, the British tennis player had a third-round outings at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, while she exited the French Open in the second round.
Fourth Gear: Fernandez Crushes Kalinskaya for Fourth Title in Washington, DC
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, July 27, 2025
Photo credit: Mubadala Citi DC Open Facebook
Pushed into the doubles alley, Leylah Fernandez fired a forehand strike.
Even when she was operating from defensive positions, Fernandez conjured offensive magic.
In a brilliant performance, Fernandez crushed Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 to roll to her fourth career championship at the Mubadala Citi DC Open final today.
The 22-year-old Fernandez made history as the first Canadian to rule Washington, DC. Unleashing a 69-minute thrashing, Fernandez soared to the biggest title of her careerāand first since she won 2023 Hong Kong.
āWow. First of all I want to congratulate Anna and her team,ā Fernandez said after winning her first WTA 500 championship. āYouāre a tough opponent to play against so congratulations and hope for the best for the future.
āSecondly, I want to thank the DC crowd, give yourself a round of applause. Thank you for being there all week. You guys have been amazing for cheering us on all week through the heat, the humidity the rain so thank you for being here all week.ā
Former world No. 13 Fernandez capped a spectacular week that saw her knock off Aussie talent Maya Joint, top-seeded and 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula, new WTA doubles No. 1 and home hero Taylor Townsend and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in a grueling triple tiebreaker test in the height of the DC heat yesterday.
Fernandez posted four Top 50 wins this week in a stirring triumph that thrusts her back into the Top 25 at No. 24 in the Live Rankings.
World No. 48 Kalinskaya swept 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu yesterday, denying DC fans the prospect of a 2021 US Open final rematch.
The Russian, who had not surrendered a set en route to the final, looked overwhelmed playing for her maiden title today.
āI want to congratulate Leylah, an amazing fighter this week,ā Kalinskaya said. āYou truly deserve it. Iāll see you soon, maybe weāll play each other next week you never know.ā
Though Kalinskaya’s second serve is usually a sturdy shot, Fernandez won 10 of 12 points played on the Russian’s second serve and converted four of six break points today.
The left-handed Canadian cracked 16 winners, which is seven more than Kalinskaya hit.
Despite her draining three hour, 12-minute triumph over WTA ace leader Rybakina in sweltering heat yesterday, Fernandez exuded more energy and urgency from the opening point today.
Deadlocked after two games, Fernandez surged through five games in a row for a one-set lead.
Belting a backhand down the line brought Fernandez a third set point. Sprinting to her right, Fernandez flicked a drop shot winner to snatch a one-set lead.
Striking a rousing running forehand strike helped Fernandez stretch her lead to 6-1, 3-1.
Straddling the baseline, Fernandez attacked and blocked a forehand volley winner for two more break points.
Cracking a clean backhand return winner down the line, Fernandez stamped her fourth break of the match for a 4-1 second set lead.
Kalinskaya made a brief push going up love-30 in the next game, but Fernandez fired through four points in a row. Flashing a serve winner down the T, Fernandez threw a clenched fist to her father in the support box extending to 6-1, 5-1 after just 61 minutes of play.
On her third championship point, Fernandez closed on Kalinskaya’s 24th unforced error.
Naomi Osaka on Split from Coach Patrick Mouratoglou
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 28, 2025
Photo credit: Robert Prange/Getty
Naomi Osaka is ready for a reset.
It won’t include Patrick Mouratoglou.
Former No. 1 Osaka announced she split with Mouratoglou, who coached her for nearly 11 months.
“Merci Patrick. It was such a great experience learning from you,” Osaka posted on Instagram. “Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who split with ex-coach Wim Fissette after the 2024 US Open, began working with Mouratoglou in September of 2024.
“Yes [he’s] my [coach] right now. I try not to commit to short-term collaborations,” Osaka said last September. “I try to think that it is a long-term commitment. I like the way he coaches. I think it’s going to be very interesting.”
Working with Mouratoglou, Osaka captured her first clay-court title at the WTA 125 event in Saint Malo in May. She also reached the Auckland final in January retiring after dropping the opening set to Clara Tauson, 6-4.
Though they clicked personally, professional results largest eluded Osaka, who fell in three sets to Paula Badosa in the Roland Garros opening round. Osaka reached the Wimbledon third round losing in three sets to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Coach Mouratoglou was philosophical about the parting.
“Nothing lasts forever. What counts is what a collaboration has brought to each other and what lasts after,” Mouratoglou posted on social media.
The 49th-ranked Osaka lost to Emma Raducanu, 6-4, 6-2 in the Washington, DC round of 16 last week. Since she won her fourth Grand Slam championship at the 2021 Australian Open, Osaka has become a mom and spoken publicly about mental health battles. Osaka has played 12 majors since that 2021 AO victory and has yet to surpass the third round. She reached the third round of both the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.
Struggling Naomi Osaka ditches coach Patrick Mouratoglou
Naomi Osaka is making a major change at the start of the North American hard-court swing as the former world No. 1 decided to call time on her partnership with coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Last week, the Japanese kicked off her summer on hard courts in Washington, where she defeated Yulia Putintseva in her opener before being bounced by Emma Raducanu in straight sets. Overall, the four-time Grand Slam champion is 21-12 this year and ranked at No. 49 in the world – a far cry from where she wants to be.
After failing to rediscover her old form, Osaka split with Wim Fissette following the conclusion of the 2024 US Open. The 27-year-old hired Mouratoglou shortly after. Now, less than a year of working together, they are separating.
"Merci Patrick. It was such a great experience learning from you. Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I've ever met and I'm sure I'll see you around," the four-time Grand Slam champion announced through an Instagram Story.
How Osaka's tenure with Mouratoglou went?
When Osaka hired Mouratoglou – who worked with Serena Williams for a decade and achieved massive success – she was hoping the French coach could lead her to the Promised Land. It didn't happen and their partnership is now a thing of the past.
When it comes to the Japanese's 2025 season, two results stand out – a runner-up finish in Auckland and her first clay title at the WTA 125 (Challenger) tournament in Saint-Malo.
Now that Mouratoglou is gone, it will be interesting to see if Osaka brings someone to assist her or if she decides to go solo for some time.
Today, the former world No. 1 is starting her campaign at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal, where she plays against world No. 515 Ariana Arseneault. The Japanese's form may not be the best but she enters as the major favorite against the 515th-ranked Canadian.
Emma Raducanu rewarded for great Washington run with her best ranking since 2022
Emma Raducanu's deep Washington run came with a solid reward as the British tennis player gained 13 spots on the updated WTA rankings and now sits at No. 33 in the world.
After returning to the top-40 for the first time in years a few months ago, the 2021 US Open champion exited the top-40 club recently and she entered Washington as the 46th-ranked player in the game. Although unseeded, the 22-year-old put up a good run and made the semifinal at the WTA 500 tournament in the United States capital before falling short to Anna Kalinskaya.
For Raducanu, it was heavily disappointing not to reach her first final since 2021 in Washington. However, the Briton still has something to be happy about as she is back inside the top-35 for the first time since 2022. Also, she is now once again the top-ranked British female tennis player.
Raducanu issued a pretty confident remark about herself in Washington
Last week, the 22-year-old decided to publicly praise herself. When doing so, she spoke positively about her game but also her tennis outfits.
"I think when I watch myself now, I really like how I look on the court. Not in like a narcissistic way. I mean in terms of energy, and I think I feel quite upbeat. The pink outfit is pretty cute as well. I think it's more I look composed on the court. I feel composed. I think that's a product of just the amount of work I'm doing behind the scenes that maybe people don't see. I love that, I love banking it in, doing everything in the shadows," Raducanu said in Washington.
This week, Raducanu is competing at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal. Since the new world No. 33 didn't play at the Canadian Open last year, she could clinch some solid ranking points if she makes a run.
Raducanu plays against Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the Montreal first round. In the past, they played once – in the 2024 Auckland first round – and the British tennis player won that match in three sets.
Washington: Emma Raducanu recovers from deficit in each set to reach semfinal
Emma Raducanu made her first semifinal of the year but it came all but an easy way after the British tennis star came from a break down in each set to beat Maria Sakkari 6-4 7-5 in the Washington quarterfinal.
Playing against former world No. 3 Sakkari, Raducanu made a slow start and lost the opening two games. But with three breaks in the remainder of the first set, the 2021 US Open champion managed to overturn the deficit and bag the opener.
After blowing a break in the first set, Sakkari also claimed a break in the sixth game of the second set and went on to open a 5-2 lead. But just when it seemed that their match would go three sets, the British tennis star won the next five games in a row to overturn the deficit once again and complete a two-set win.
In the Washington semifinal, Raducanu will battle against either No. 4 seed Clara Tauson or Anna Kalinskaya.
What Raducanu admitted after beating Sakkari?
After getting the job done against Sakkari in two sets, the 2021 US Open winner admitted that she didn't feel well at all after falling down by a break in the second set and that she just hoped the match wouldn't go three sets.
“I think you get to a point where you’re so tired that you don’t really know what you’re doing anymore, and I think maybe that helped. I just really had to be smooth and conserve energy. I was also thinking if this goes to three sets, I don't know how I’m going to do it. So just happy I toughed it out," the 22-year-old admitted after beating Sakkari.
For Raducanu, this is her first Washington semifinal. In her first two Washington appearances that came in 2022 and 2024, the Briton concluded her run in the quarterfinal.
Alcaraz: Grass Game Most Beautiful Form of Tennis
"The style that the people bring to the court when they play on grass, I think is so beautiful," Carlos Alcaraz said.
By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Saturday, June 28, 2025
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
An old adage states beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Grass-court tennis is the game’s most alluring surface for Carlos Alcaraz.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Alcaraz proclaims the lawn game is the most transcendent tennis for players and fans.
“I think the most beautiful tennis that we can watch is on grass,” Alcaraz told the media at Wimbledon today. “The style that the people bring to the court when they play on grass, I think is so beautiful.
“The sound of the ball. The movement is really tough, but when you get it, it's kind of you're flying (smiling).”
Grass rewards the five-time Grand Slam champion’s athleticism, aggression and all-court acumen, which are among the reasons Alcaraz loves lawns.
“It's just pretty well to me because I really want to hit slices, dropshots, going to the net all the time, playing aggressively,” Alcaraz said. “I think on grass it's the style that you have to play. So that's what I like the most.”
Riding a career-best 18-match winning streak into his Wimbledon title defense, Alcaraz opens Centre Court play against Italian veteran Fabio Fognini on Monday at 1:30 p.m.
It’s Alcaraz's first match since he beat Jiri Lehecka to win Queen’s Club—his fourth career grass-court championship equaling Rafa Nadal and Feliciano Lopez for most by a Spanish man in the Oepn Era.
The two-time reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner is aiming to join Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in capturing three consecutive Wimbledon crowns in the Open Era.
Alcaraz said today he’s hunting the title—not necessarily that legacy list.
“I'm coming here thinking that, yeah, I really want to win the title. I really want to lift the trophy,” Alcaraz said. “Not thinking about how much players have done it, you know, winning three Wimbledons in a row.
“I'm just thinking about, okay, I just want to be ready and just want to prepare myself in the best way possible, just to start the tournament with a lot of confident. Obviously I feel a lot of confident right now (smiling).
"But just thinking about still going forward, it's still doing the good things, and start the tournament. So two weeks could be really long on a Grand Slam, but right now I'm not thinking about who I could join if I win three Wimbledons in a row.”
While media and fan speculation over Alcaraz’s relationship with US Open mixed doubles partner Emma Raducanu has run rampant since his UK return, the five-time Grand Slam champion has been busy teeing off with another British major winner.
“I play some golf. Actually, I play with Andy Murray on Monday and a few more players,” Alcaraz said of post Queen’s Club activity. “Just went to the center a little bit. Just wanted to go to the center a little bit, walk around, have a good food, and just having quality time with them doing some stuff that probably I wouldn't be able to do it while the tournament is on.”
Raducanu on Relationship with Alcaraz
"“We go back a long way," Emma Raducanu said of US Open mixed doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz.
By Tennis Now | @TennisNow | Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Photo credit: Nathan Stirk/Getty for LTA
Before they were Grand Slam champions, Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu were friends.
The 2022 US Open champion Alcaraz will partner 2021 US Open title holder Raducanu in a star-studded US Open Mixed Doubles event in August.
That partnership—and Raducanu's appearance to watch Alcaraz play Queen's Club last week—is prompting some media and fans to speculate its destiny the two young superstars will develop a romantic relationship.
Asked about their friendship, Raducanu told BBC "we go back a long way."
"Of course I was going to say yes." š¤©
Emma Raducanu explains how Carlos Alcaraz asked her to be his US Open doubles partner š¤ pic.twitter.com/gVHz8i6Xt0
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 23, 2025
“We go back a long way and I think that we both started getting to know each other a lot in 2021,” Raducanu told BBC Sport. "We were like speaking and friends before anyone won anything.”
The pair will play for a $1 Million champion's check in the newly revamped US Open Mixed Doubles event, which features the deepest draw in Flushing Meadows Mixed Doubles history.
Asked if it's destiny the pair will be together, a smiling Raducanu laughed at the question.
"I'm glad the internet is having fun and we're providing some entertainment for everyone," Raducanu replied.
Putintseva Fires Back at Sakkari on Social Media
"And the plot thickens," Yulia Putintseva posted over an image of Maria Sakkari.
By Tennis Now | @TennisNow | Monday, June 23, 2025
Yulia Putintseva has fired back at Maria Sakkari in the latest shot in an ongoing feud.
Sakkari and Putintseva went at it after the Greek scored a 7-5, 7-6 win yesterday in Bad Homburg.
On-court microphones picked up Sakkari telling Putintseva “Nobody likes you” after the first match of the 2025 Bad Homburg Open was completed.
Maria Sakkari and Yulia Putintseva got heated during their handshake in Bad Homburg š³
Watch the full clip here and read more from @Tennis below š https://t.co/Xi8KegqHOu pic.twitter.com/wvS84NILKu
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 22, 2025
The pair exchanged more than those words, as Sakkari approached Putintseva to clarify what was being said.
"When you shake hands with someone, look them in the eyes," Sakkari said.
Today, on Instagram Stories, Putintseva posted two images of Sakkari from The Tennis Pulse not making eye contact with either Martina Trevisan or Emma Raducanu in their post-match handshakes.
Putintseva added the caption: "And the plot thickens…" along with a clown emoji implying Sakkari is a clown for calling her out.
After yesterday's on-court imbroglio, Sakkari said she respects Putintseva "as a player, but that's it."
"I don't think she's going to invite me for dinner for the rest of our lives, but I don't care, to be honest. I have very good friends and I'll go to dinner with them," Sakkari said. "Let me leave it here, and say that I have respect for her as a player, but that's it."
Well, looks like Putintseva is unwilling to leave it there and it's unlikely the pair will be breaking bread anytime soon.
Raducanu: Top Players Get Preferential Treatment
The Brit says it's a bummer to have no practice time on Chatrier.
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday May 27, 2025
Paris – Emma Raducanu would like more time to get used to playing on Court Philippe-Chatrier ahead of her second-round match with Iga Swiatek at Roland-Garros.
And she’s not exactly thrilled that she isn’t getting the chance.
Ahead of her clash with Swiatek, Raducanu expressed frustration at the lack of practice on the big courts
“I feel like certain players get preferential treatment. It’s very different from the annex…I wish they’d give us more opportunities on stadium or bigger courts..”
š„: FFT pic.twitter.com/oBcL9RCGMm
— TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) May 27, 2025
Raducanu says it is tough to be expected to play her best on Court Philippe-Chatrier when she hasn’t been given the opportunity to practice on the tournament’s fabled showcourt.
“I honestly think it's really difficult, because the tournament don't really help in terms of getting you court time on the bigger courts or on like the match courts, really,” she said on Monday on Court No.8.
Court No.8 has a capacity of 350 people, while the capacious Chatrier holds 15,000.
Raducanu says she feels certain players get more chances to practice on the court, while others get nothing.
“I feel like, I don't know, certain players get preferred treatment,” she said. “It's very different from at the annex [the cluster of practice courts across the street from the site], for example, across the road or other courts to then kind of jump onto Chatrier or jump onto a stadium. It isn't easy. I wish they would give us more opportunities on [Chatrier] or bigger courts, especially if we're going to play on them.”
Raducanu, who is 0-4 lifetime against Swiatek, has never taken a set against the four-time Roland-Garros champion.
She’s looking forward to seeing how she matches up against one of the toughest challenges in women’s tennis.
“I think it's a match for me where I can really test and challenge myself,” she said as she looking ahead to facing the reigning queen of clay. “I think exposure to the top players is great for where I'm at for my development. “I think especially on clay, it's her preferred tournament [and] surface. She's won it four times. It's a match where I can go out and test really just myself and go for my shots, because I know if I just push the ball, I'm probably going to get eaten. I need to, like, hit the ball.
“I'm looking forward to that challenge.”