Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz new romance theory emerges after link-up in USA

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz have been accused of "flirting" during their US Open mixed doubles link-up, having competed together amid rumours that the two tennis stars are dating. Whispers have grown since before Wimbledon about their love lives, having been spotted watching each other's matches and pairing up for sponsorship duties.

Neither player has confirmed that they are romantically involved, but curiosity grew when they played together at the new-look US Open mixed doubles. The revamp saw top singles players compete together before the singles matches over a two-day period in New York.

Alcaraz played alongside Raducanu but lost in the first round to Jack Draper and partner Jessica Pegula, before doubles specialists Sarra Errani and Andrea Vavassori won the title and a £740,000 jackpot.

The controversial reimagining of mixed doubles upset lots of purists but drew more attention to the format, which 2003 US Open singles champion Andy Roddick pointed out in his assessment of the event.

"The exposure of doubles, everything that I've heard for the last 20 years is we have to get eyeballs on doubles," Roddick said on his podcast at the Laver Cup. "That's the priority. And if that's the priority, then it was mission accomplished at the US Open.

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"This is another place where doubles is absolutely showcased and it matters for the overall event in a big way, which is why opening doubles match. Who are we putting out there? The No. 1 player in the world, Carlos Alcaraz. Great."

Roddick's co-host, Jon Wertheim, brought up Alcaraz's mixed doubles partnership with Raducanu, adding: "Looking forward to seeing him play. We saw him play mixed doubles. All right, you know, it's a good, good effort. This is a little bit..."

Roddick responded by accusing the pair of "flirting" on court: "I mean, it was. They were, they just wanted to flirt for an hour. Like, what are we doing here? I said it. Whatever. I don't care. I don't care."

Mention of Raducanu and Alcaraz together has simmered since appearing together at the competition, while the new men's singles champion has been linked with swimsuit model Brooks Nader.

The TV personality was asked about rumours that she dated both Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the US Open and said: "I would just say, a lady never kisses and tells - especially twice, that's just not nice.

"Dating is such a loose term these days. It's just... I don't know. By the way, my only thing is, guys do it all the time, so why can't I do it?"