Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu: Big names, different results at U.S. Open
Carlos Alcaraz hitting the ball back to Luciano Darderi during his third-round match inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday at the U.S. Open. Credit: Errol Anderson
Both are 22. Both won a U.S. Open as a teenager.
They were mixed doubles teammates at the Open just last week. They are good friends who have been rumored to be more than that, juicy tennis world speculation that they have denied.
Both have even taken up golf.
And they played at the same time early Friday. That was where the similarities ended.
Carlos Alcaraz won. Emma Raducanu lost.
That was no surprise, given the trajectories of their careers in the years since Raducanu won the Open in 2021 and Alcaraz followed in ’22.
Alcaraz is a force, the No. 2 seed in the tournament and a four-time major champion since that breakthrough at the Open.
On Friday, he blew by the No. 32 seed, Luciano Darderi, 6-2, 6-4, 6-0, in a third-round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium and remains on course to face No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner in the final.
Emma Raducanu serves to Elena Rybakina during the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday in Queens. Credit: AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth
Meanwhile, at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the unseeded Raducanu was routed by No. 9 Elena Rybakina, 6-1, 6-2, in 62 minutes after having raised hopes and intrigue with two easy victories of her own in the first two rounds. They were Raducanu’s first wins at the Open since ’21.
Her career has been derailed by injuries, but she has played better this season, reaching the third round of three majors. But because of her modest No. 36 world ranking, she is unable to avoid facing top players in the early rounds.
The three players to defeat her in majors this year around among the best: Iga Swiatek (twice), Aryna Sabalenka and Rybakina. Sabalenka and Swiatek are the world’s two top-ranked players.
“It’s tough,” she said. “But at the same time, that's where I'm at with my ranking. I can play top opponents in the first, second or third round. I've just got to do my best in the next few months until Australia to just keep working to try and close the gap.
“I think depending on the day, depending on how we match up, I think I'm getting better overall. I think I'm improving for sure in the last few months. I just need to keep consistent and put this one behind.”
Closing the gap with the game’s best will be necessary if Raducanu is to be more than a one-hit wonder. But she said that those opponents seem to be at their best against her.
Does she believe given her history and celebrity that opponents are extra-motivated against her?
“Yeah, big time,” Raducanu said. “I think when the very top play against me, they have a point to prove that they're at the top, and they're there for a reason. I think every time I've played one, they've kind of shown that.
“So I think at the same time while I'm improving, doing better, gaining maybe some more respect around, I think, yeah, the top have definitely raised their game.
“I'll take that as a compliment that they've decided to really lock in against me. But at the same time, it does show I have a lot more work to do.”
The only noteworthy glitch in Alcaraz’s victory was having his right knee and thigh examined by a trainer during a break in the second set. He later insisted he was unconcerned.
“I asked for the physio, but it was nothing serious, just for precaution,” he said. “After that, I just didn't feel it anymore.”
The bigger challenge was his wakeup call. He said the 11:30 a.m. start was only the second pre-noon match he could recall in his career.
“I just went to bed at 11, 11:15,” he said. “That for me is really weird, to be honest, which I am really proud about it. I just woke at 7 in the morning just to be ready to warm up well, feeling awake, and feeling good.”
As for the Raducanu-Alcaraz relationship, she recently told BBC Sport, “I’m glad the internet is having fun and we’re providing some entertainment for everyone.”
The two seem to be having fun with it themselves. After her second-round victory, Raducanu even weighed in on the buzz cut Alcaraz unveiled for the Open. “I think he owns it,” she said.
In June, the two appeared together in an Instagram video to promote their mixed doubles pairing and giggled their way through a chummy interaction that had social media abuzz.
“OMG, these two are so adorable,” someone posted.
The commentor meant off the court, of course. On the court, this is serious business, and only one of them will move on to the fourth round.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
