Carlos Alcaraz has reached the Australian Open final and the Spanish tennis ace has addressed rumours regarding a relationship with a world-famous DJ
Carlos Alcaraz has fought his way through the Australian Open draw to reach his maiden final in Melbourne, where he will take on Novak Djokovic. And during his campaign the 22-year-old has enjoyed the backing of renowned DJ Peggy Gou, who is 12 years older than him.
The Spanish tennis star had previously reached the final of every other Grand Slam tournament before arriving in Australia, cruising into the semi-finals without losing a set. His last-four encounter with Alexander Zverev proved a tougher proposition, however, as cramping threatened to derail his progress before he came through 3-2.
Victory over Djokovic in the final would see Alcaraz become the youngest male player ever to complete a career Grand Slam, with the highly anticipated showdown set to be preceded by a performance from one of his latest high-profile backers.
Eyebrows were raised during Alcaraz’s quarter-final match against Alex de Minaur when globally recognised South Korean DJ Gou, 34, was spotted in the 22-year-old’s player box. Gou, whose 2023 track ‘(It Goes Like) Nanana’ propelled her to stardom, witnessed the Spaniard dispatch De Minaur 7-5, 6-2, 6-1, sparking rumours of a potential relationship.
Following his victory, Alcaraz addressed her appearance amongst his supporters and despite the romantic speculation surrounding them, clarified that their relationship is just a friendly one. He said: “She’s a friend and she’s really great. I’m glad she’s here.
“I’ve received tremendous support from her. She’s fantastic,” he added. Gou is in Australia as she’s scheduled to perform live at Melbourne Park shortly before the final.
Prior to his victory over Zverev, Alcaraz acknowledged that witnessing her performance provided additional motivation to reach the championship match.
“I’d better win the next round if I want to see her… I hope I can see her,” Alcaraz remarked, going on to do precisely that and securing a tantalising encounter with 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.
Naturally, questions emerged about how Gou and Alcaraz first met and the 34-year-old DJ shared the story with an Australian media outlet. She explained: “We’re friends. Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were playing matches in Korea and my parents are big tennis fans.
“They asked me, ‘Could you get me a ticket, please?’ I asked David [Grutman, a mutual friend] and he introduced us. We met in Korea and became good friends.”
Gou, real name Kim Min-ji, frequently attends Fashion Weeks and has built a reputation for her cutting-edge style. She appears set to support Alcaraz during the tournament’s climax, with the Spaniard confirming he’ll enter the contest brimming with confidence.
“When I was younger, there were a lot of matches that I just didn’t want to fight any more or I gave up. Then I got mature,” he said ahead of the final. “I hate that feeling [of giving up].
“Every step more, every one second more of suffering, one second more of fighting is always worth it. That’s why I just fight until the last ball and always believe that I can come back in every situation.”