Playing mixed doubles with your significant other at Grand Slam tournaments can be a very “complicated” situation, according to Carlos Alcaraz.
Tennis power couples are back in the news after reigning Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner confirmed that he is dating WTA star Anna Kalinskaya.
They join Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa, Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, and Katie Boulter and Alex de Minaur on the list of high-profile tennis players who are dating.
Tsitsipas and Badosa – or Tsitsidosa as they are fondly known as – have certainly been the most talked about in the past 12 months as their relationship first became public at Roland Garros last year.
And they have decided to celebrate their “anniversary” by playing in the mixed doubles at this year’s clay-court Grand Slam.
Not too many power couples have gone that road although Boulter and De Minaur did feature at Wimbledon last year, but two-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz was asked if he would consider playing mixed doubles if he was dating a fellow player.
“Well, each player is different. Personally, first I have to put myself in the situation if I had a girlfriend. Then it would be complicated,” the world No 3, who has previously confirmed that he is not in a relationship, said.
“But in the end, also mixing personal and professional life… We are in a tennis tournament and I, personally, would look at the professional part first.
“Let’s see, [Stefanos] is physically fine, he doesn’t have any prior discomfort. Or that’s what he shows. In the end, if he sees that it suits him or he sees that he can combine everything, go ahead.
“In the end, no one can tell him not to do this or that. If he looks good physically and it would be good for him to play doubles and mixed at the same time as singles, why shouldn’t he do it?”
And although he admits he would be hesitant about mixing personal life with business, the 21-year-old would not turn his girlfriend down if she did ask to play mixed doubles and they were both feeling fit.
The Spaniard added: “Personally, if I had a girlfriend and she asked me to play mixed [doubles], I would have to evaluate many things to be able to decide. But if everything is good, why not?”