Daily Dose of Social Media: Raducanu and Tiafoe playfully tease Judy Murray as Alcaraz expresses gratitude to Nadal

Today in our Daily Dose of Social Media, we recap the latest activities and entertainment from WTA and ATP Tour players on social media. Emma Raducanu and Frances Tiafoe had an exchange on social media, seemingly teasing Judy Murray by recalling the controversy at Wimbledon.

On the other hand, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz's defeat in the Olympic Games, along with the controversial match between Danielle Collins and Iga Swiatek, marked the day. Additionally, Victoria Azarenka celebrated her birthday in Washington.

Emma Raducanu and Frances Tiafoe seemed to play a joke on Judy Murray on Instagram. The 2021 US Open champion was at the center of criticism after withdrawing from the mixed doubles she was going to play with Andy Murray at Wimbledon, denying him a final appearance at the All England Club.

At that time, Andy’s mother, Judy Murray, posted “Astonishing” on X, referring to Raducanu’s unexpected withdrawal, as she was still competing in singles.

Now at the DC Open, the Brit shared photos of her first-round victory over Elise Mertens, but what caught attention was a comment from the American Frances Tiafoe, who is participating in the same tournament this week. 'Big-Foe' commented “Mixed...." followed by a series of shrugging and laughing emojis. Raducanu responded with “Astonishing”, followed by another laughing emoji.

Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka celebrated her 35th birthday in Washington on July 31st, taking a well-deserved day off from competing in the Mubadala DC Open. The Belarusian tennis star marked the occasion with a mix of relaxation and reflection, enjoying a day by the sea and sharing the moment with her fans on social media.

‘Vika’ has had a notable career, with two Grand Slam titles to her name and numerous other achievements. Her birthday came at a time when she was showing strong form on the court. In her opening match at the Mubadala DC Open, she secured a hard-fought victory against local player Hailey Baptiste, winning 7-6(6), 7-6(3). This win sets her up for a second-round match against China’s Yafan Wang.

On her birthday, Azarenka posted a heartwarming photo on social media, where she was seen enjoying a serene moment at the beach. The post quickly garnered hundreds of well-wishes and birthday greetings from her followers. Azarenka captioned the photo with, “Another year around the sun and I’m grateful for every moment! Happy birthday to me.”

The match between Iga Swiatek and Danielle Collins was arguably the most tense so far at the Olympic Games. The Polish player advanced to the semifinals after defeating Collins 6-1, 2-6, 4-1, with the American retiring. The match was marked by a body shot from Collins, constant complaints, and a heated exchange after Collins retired in the third set.

In the third game of the first set, Swiatek fell to her knees on the Roland Garros clay after a powerful backhand from Collins hit her in the stomach. Later, when Swiatek requested a toilet break, Collins complained to the umpire about the time the 5-time Grand Slam champion was taking.

At the end of the match, the tense exchange was captured on social media, showing Collins speaking to Swiatek. According to Collins, who revealed in the press conference afterwards, she told the World No. 1, "You didn’t need to be hypocritical about my injury.”

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal's defeat in the Olympic Games doubles ended the Spanish duo's dream of a medal. In the quarterfinals, they faced the American specialists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram, in a match that concluded 6-2, 6-4 in favor of the Americans. This marks Nadal's exit from the Olympics, raising questions about whether this will be his final retirement or when he will play again.

Alcaraz, who remains in the singles competition, expressed his gratitude on social media for the opportunity to play alongside Nadal over the past week: "Thank you so much Rafa for this week and for sharing the court with me playing for Spain. Today it couldn't be, but I take away many things for the future! It has been very special!"

The impeccable form continues for World No. 7 Qinwen Zheng, who secured her 9th consecutive clay court victory after winning the title at the Palermo Open last week. The Chinese player defeated former World No. 1 Angie Kerber in a closely contested match that was decided in a third-set tie-break.

Zheng is now in the semifinals and will challenge Iga Swiatek for a spot in the Olympic Games final. After her victory over Kerber, Zheng shared photos of the match on social media and took the opportunity to congratulate the German player, as it was her last tournament as a professional: "Congratulations to Angelique Kerber for a great match and an amazing career!"

Caroline Wozniacki concluded her participation in the Olympic Games in the second round, falling in three sets to Danielle Collins and leaving the court in tears. The former world No. 1 secured only one victory, against Mayar Sherif in the first round, and was unable to compete in the mixed doubles, where she was slated to partner with Holger Rune. However, the young Danish player was forced to withdraw last minute due to a wrist injury.

A few days after her elimination, Wozniacki shared a compilation of photos from her time at the Olympic Games and expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to experience the Olympics once again with the Danish team. Among the photos, one stood out featuring Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and one of Wozniacki's greatest rivals on court, but also a close friend off the court.

“Thank you Paris for an unforgettable week! The Danish fans came out in full force, truly the best support I have ever heard! Staying in the Olympic Village with the Danish team was so cool, and I got to spend time with new and old friends!”