In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, Emma Raducanu stole the spotlight when she was seen watching Carlos Alcaraz's victory at the Queen's Club Championships. The Spaniard defeated Roberto Bautista Agut to qualify for the final. Alcaraz and Raducanu were recently announced as partners for the upcoming US Open mixed doubles.
Jack Draper wasn't as lucky on his end, falling in the semifinals, though earlier he received a notable gift: a Manchester United jersey with his name on the back. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka bid a positive farewell to Berlin, sharing a series of photos from her days in the German city after her semifinal exit.
Emma Raducanu cheers on future mixed doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz's victory in the Queen's Club Championships semifinals had a luxury spectator: none other than the 2021 US Open champion, Emma Raducanu. The 22-year-old Brit competed at Queen's last week, being defeated in the quarterfinals by Zheng Qinwen. This week, her participation in the Berlin Ladies Open was expected, but she withdrew at the last moment due to physical discomfort.
The former World No. 10 took advantage of her days in London to attend the ATP 500 Queen's Club as a spectator, where she watched Alcaraz, her new partner for the upcoming US Open mixed doubles. The new US Open mixed doubles format will feature several star-studded pairs, though arguably the one that has garnered the most attention has been the Alcaraz-Raducanu duo, who will seek to win the more than $1 million prize pool awarded by the tournament in the week prior to the singles draw's start.
Alcaraz comfortably secured the victory against Roberto Bautista Agut and will play the Queen's final this Sunday against Jiri Lehecka, looking to reclaim the title he won in 2023. On the other hand, Raducanu has a commitment even before Wimbledon, as she will play the Eastbourne Open starting this Monday, debuting against American Ann Li.
Jack Draper receives Manchester United jersey
Jack Draper received a personalized Manchester United jersey as a gift during his run at the Queen's Club Championships. In the morning, former Irish footballer Denis Irwin—a Manchester United legend—met with Draper to present him with a team jersey. Draper is a declared fan of the club. The new World No. 4 posed for a photo with the Irish football legend and the shirt.
However, it couldn't serve as a good luck charm for Draper, as he ultimately fell in his semifinal match against Jiri Lehecka. The Brit remained in a tight contest, but ultimately couldn't overcome the inspired play of his Czech opponent, who gave him virtually no chances on his serve. Draper will have to put the defeat behind him and will travel to Wimbledon as the 4th seed, where he will once again look to deliver a strong performance in a Major – and why not – contend for the title as the main local hope.
Sabalenka bids farewell to Berlin Ladies Open after semifinal defeat
Aryna Sabalenka shared a series of photos on social media, bidding farewell to her time at the Berlin Ladies Open after her semifinal defeat to Marketa Vondrousova. The World No. 1 played her first grass-court tournament of the season there – and stated it would be her only preparation for Wimbledon.
In the quarterfinals, she survived an epic battle against Elena Rybakina, saving 4 consecutive match points in the third-set tie-break, but in the semifinals, the mental fatigue seemed to take its toll against the former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, leading to her exit from Berlin. Sabalenka must now look towards Wimbledon, where she will arrive with high expectations, and despite the loss to Vondrousova, she will hope to go deep at the All England Club this time and pursue her 4th Grand Slam title.
Tsitsipas joins Ronaldo & Mouratoglou for charity event
Stefanos Tsitsipas shared a photo with former World Cup-winning footballer Ronaldo Nazário and French coach Patrick Mouratoglou, participating in a charity event for Mouratoglou's foundation. The Greek tennis star posted the photo on his social media with a touch of humor. "One of us won the Ballon d’Or. One shaped champions. One just held the phone and hoped the lighting worked." At the event, Tsitsipas was one of the special guests, with Richard Gasquet also participating.
Tsitsipas recently played in the Halle Open, where he was eliminated in the round of 16 by American Alex Michelsen. This is the only grass-court tournament the Greek will play before traveling to Wimbledon, which starts in one week. The 26-year-old player continues to drop in the rankings and currently sits at World No. 26. Wimbledon will be an opportunity to climb the rankings, considering he only reached the second round last year.