# Carlos Alcaraz Shows True Colors as Emma Raducanu Faces Targeting at US Open 2025
**Carlos Alcaraz**, the world No. 2 and four-time Grand Slam champion, displayed his supportive side toward **Emma Raducanu** during the **US Open 2025**, where the pair teamed up for mixed doubles but faced challenges both on and off the court. Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, has spoken about having a “target on her back” from top players like **Elena Rybakina**, who defeated her 6-1, 6-2 in the third round on August 29, 2025, and others who “lock in” to prove their dominance against her (gazetteseries.co.uk,). Amid this pressure, Alcaraz’s camaraderie shone through, particularly after their first-round mixed doubles loss to **Jack Draper** and **Jessica Pegula** (4-2, 4-2), where he praised Raducanu’s leadership, saying, “Emma was the boss on court” (eurosport.es,). This article explores Alcaraz’s support, Raducanu’s challenges, and the context of their US Open campaigns, as of 6:08 PM WAT, Saturday, August 30, 2025.
## Alcaraz’s Supportive Nature
Alcaraz and Raducanu, who teamed up for the revamped US Open mixed doubles event on August 20, 2025, generated significant buzz, with fans speculating about their chemistry after a viral practice clip (yahoo.com,). Despite their 50-minute loss to top seeds Draper and Pegula, Alcaraz showed his true colors by publicly lauding Raducanu, calling her “a great player” and noting, “I just served, and she told me what to do” (eurosport.es,). Post-match, Raducanu reciprocated on Instagram, writing, “De locos, Carlos!” in Spanish, to which Alcaraz replied playfully, highlighting their friendly rapport (si.com,). This support was notable given Raducanu’s comments about facing intense scrutiny from rivals, making Alcaraz’s encouragement a bright spot.
Their partnership, formed after Alcaraz approached Raducanu through their agents, was a highlight of the US Open’s “fan week,” despite criticism of the event’s format favoring singles stars over doubles specialists (bbc.com,). Alcaraz’s positive demeanor extended beyond the court, as he was seen cheering for Raducanu during her singles matches and engaging with fans, earning praise on X: “Carlos is such a class act, hyping Emma up like that” (@TennisFanatic,).
## Raducanu Targeted by Rivals
Raducanu, ranked No. 50, has been open about the pressure of being targeted by top players, saying after her loss to Rybakina, “I definitely have a target on my back… When the very top play against me, they have a point to prove” (runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk,). Her third-round defeat, where she won only three games, marked her second lopsided loss to Rybakina (6-0, 6-1 in Sydney 2022) and followed tough 2025 losses to **Iga Swiatek** (twice) and **Aryna Sabalenka** (eppingforestguardian.co.uk,). She acknowledged the challenge of her ranking, noting, “I can play top opponents in the first, second, or third round,” but remained optimistic, focusing on her progress with new coach **Francisco Roig** (kilburntimes.co.uk,).
Rybakina, reunited with coach **Stefano Vukov**, was “virtually unstoppable,” hitting deep shots that disrupted Raducanu’s rhythm (whtimes.co.uk,). Raducanu’s earlier rounds showed promise, with 6-1, 6-2 and 6-3, 6-2 wins over **Ena Shibahara** and **Jennifer Tjen**, but her 8-0 record in red at the US Open ended abruptly (usopen.org,). Fans on X noted the intensity, with @TheTennisLetter tweeting, “Elena was locked in against Emma. That target on her back is real” ().
## Context: Alcaraz and Raducanu’s US Open Campaigns
Alcaraz, a favorite after his Cincinnati Open title, reached the fourth round with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 win over **Luciano Darderi** on August 29, 2025, despite wrist concerns from a practice session (au.news.yahoo.com,). His draw has opened up after **Ben Shelton**’s retirement against **Adrian Mannarino**, setting up a potential quarterfinal with **Taylor Fritz** (theguardian.com,). Raducanu, despite her singles loss, is buoyed by a strong summer, including a Washington quarterfinal and Cincinnati qualifying, and plans to build momentum in the Asian swing (tennis.com,).
Their mixed doubles pairing, though short-lived, won hearts, with Raducanu advocating for other Slams to adopt the format: “It was a huge success… so many fans got involved” (bbc.com,). However, the event’s prioritization of singles stars sparked debate, especially after **Alex de Minaur** and **Katie Boulter**’s wildcard snub (au.news.yahoo.com,).
## Fan and Media Reactions
The tennis community is abuzz, with fans praising Alcaraz’s support for Raducanu. @DjokerFan tweeted, “Carlos backing Emma shows what a great guy he is. Hope she keeps her head up” (). Media outlets like **The Guardian** noted Raducanu’s resilience, stating, “Another meeting with one of the elite only illustrated how much more she has to do” (theguardian.com,). The Alcaraz-Raducanu dynamic also fueled playful speculation, with @si.com reporting, “Fans are shipping them, but they insist they’re just friends” (si.com,).
