"Mixed field, but he owns it": Emma Raducanu gives verdict on Alcaraz’s look

Emma Raducanu is no stranger to the spotlight at the US Open. On a warm New York afternoon, the 2021 champion took care of business in emphatic fashion, defeating Indonesia’s Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-1 to reach the third round. The Brit No. 1 showed composure and control in a match that many had flagged as a potential stumbling block. Instead, Raducanu played with authority, ensuring her opponent never had a chance to settle into the contest.

Her words afterwards underlined just how seriously she took the challenge. “I thought she was very dangerous and any ball I put mid-court was going to be punished,” she explained on her press conference.

Tjen had already ousted Veronika Kudermetova in the opening round, a warning sign that Raducanu could not afford a lapse in focus. Yet Raducanu dictated rallies, struck cleanly from both wings, and walked away satisfied with the discipline she brought to the court.

The performance wasn’t just about consistency. Raducanu’s serve, often the barometer of her confidence, proved decisive. She landed aces, maintained a high percentage, and never gave Tjen prolonged looks at break opportunities. “It always helps me when I’m serving well—it seeps into the rest of my game,” she said with a grin. Even when she briefly reached toward her back in the second set, she brushed off concerns: “I just had a little bit of stiffness.”

If this was a routine win on paper, the atmosphere in the press room took a lighter turn soon after. When asked about Carlos Alcaraz’s striking new haircut, Raducanu’s response sparked laughter and headlines in equal measure.

The question may have been playful, but Raducanu’s answer came with the kind of honesty that fans love. “I think he owns it. He pulls it off,” she said, smiling. “If you own a haircut like that, it can work. Mixed field, but whatever he does, it’s not going to affect what he does on the court. I’m just happy to see him having fun with it.”

It was the perfect soundbite—part cheeky observation, part professional respect. Alcaraz’s drastic new look has divided social media, but Raducanu framed it as a reflection of the Spaniard’s confidence. Her remark, “If you own a haircut like that, then it can work,” echoed the same spirit she shows on court: self-belief makes the style. For fans in New York, the juxtaposition of Raducanu’s cool composure and her playful comments about Alcaraz reminded everyone that even top athletes enjoy the lighter side of tour life.

Raducanu hasn’t forgotten the bigger picture. After two matches that have lasted little more than two hours combined, she’s been logging extra training sessions to stay sharp. She even hit the courts again after her first-round win. “Maintaining is another challenge—it takes a lot of work,” she admitted. “I think all the practice I’ve been doing has been helping to get me to a certain level, and I want to keep doing it when it suits.”

Next up could be Elena Rybakina, the Wimbledon champion who Raducanu openly wants to test herself against. “I do want to see how my game suits and fits against the top,” she said. “She’s been at the top of the game for so long and has big weapons. I still think I have a long way to go, but I’ve been making steps towards narrowing that gap.”

Her commitment to the grind also comes with hard-earned lessons from injuries. “Doing the right things off the court—preparing well, warming up, doing all the professional things—I’ve been better at that,” she noted. By gradually increasing the load on her body, Raducanu believes she’s now more resilient in long matches. “Weeks and months of accumulating that load has helped me stay, for the most part, injury free,” she said.

For now, though, much of the buzz isn’t just about her victory or her next opponent—it’s about her tongue-in-cheek take on Alcaraz’s haircut. Raducanu delivered both a statement win and a soundbite that might prove just as memorable. In New York, that mix of performance and personality is exactly what keeps her in the headlines.