Carlos Alcaraz Convinced ‘Struggling’ Emma Raducanu Will Become Top Player One Day

After the clay swing, Carlos Alcaraz continued his winning ways by lifting the Queen's title and is bidding to win his third Wimbledon.

Carlos Alcaraz Convinced ‘Struggling’ Emma Raducanu Will Become Top Player One Day

Emma Raducanu, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/alcaraz archive)

Carlos Alcaraz is convinced that his good friend Emma Raducanu will become one of the best players on the WTA Tour. Both the players are in London, preparing for Wimbledon, which started on June 30.

Alcaraz will be up against Fabio Fognini, whom he will be facing for the third time, and will be aiming to improve their head-to-head record to 3-0. Raducanu will kick-start her campaign against compatriot Mingge Xu. Ahead of his first match, the Spaniard, during an interview with HypeBeast, talked about his US Open mixed doubles partner.

I mean she…she plays great. Obviously, she’s been struggling a bit lately, but I’m pretty sure that I mean I’m pretty sure she’s gonna get there because I have a lot of confidence in her. Yeah, we had fun you know earlier. So she’s…her game is pretty high, so I, I trust that this is gonna be, she’s going to be at the top very soon.

Alcaraz had approached the Brit to join forces for the US Open mixed doubles, which will be held during the qualifying rounds. Both the youngsters have lifted the singles titles at Flushing Meadows.

Raducanu was the winner there in 2021 and the following season, Alcaraz claimed his title. Since that victory, the Murcia native took home four more Majors, but Raducanu is still searching for the second title of her career.

At Wimbledon, Raducanu will be hoping to progress beyond the fourth round as twice she was defeated in this stage (2021 and 2024). Last year, Lulu Sun ended her run.

Carlos Alcaraz expresses his wish to meet Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final

At Wimbledon, Carlos Alcaraz will not just be aiming to defend his title for the second time, but also to complete the Channel Slam for two consecutive seasons. In the previous two finals, Alcaraz lifted Wimbledon by beating 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

Jannik SInner and Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (Image via TennisTV)

But Djokovic is not the heavy favorite to win the title, given that Major trophies have eluded him since the 2023 US Open. World No.1 Jannik Sinner, even though he has never played the Wimbledon final, is expected to schedule a blockbuster match against the 22-year-old.

The two young rivals faced each other for the first time in a Grand Slam final in this year’s French Open. Alcaraz came from two sets down and also saved three championship points in the fourth set to defend his title. He now wishes to face Sinner in the Wimbledon final. Alcaraz told Sky Sports:

Sinner is my toughest opponent…What happened in Halle, for me, doesn’t really matter: he always reacts stronger, he knows how to prepare and train, he will have a very high level and his mobility on the court is impressive. For my part, I feel very good, very fit. It will be a good tournament for both of us and I hope we will meet in the final!

Alcaraz holds an 8-4 head-to-head lead over the 23-year-old and had secured his fifth consecutive win over him in the French Open final. Before Paris, Alcaraz secured an easy win over Sinner in the Italian Open final- the home favorite’s comeback tournament after his three-month doping ban.

While Alcaraz will be bidding for his sixth title of the season at Wimbledon, Sinner will be searching for his second one after his Australian Open win. The five-time Grand Slam champion has won so far four titles on grass but Sinner claimed just the Halle Open last year and failed to defend it this time due to his defeat to eventual champion Alexander Bublik in the second round.

Also read: Coco Gauff Calls for Women to Play Finals Last Instead of Men and Take Center Stage in Tennis