Carlos Alcaraz is back in Madrid, and it already feels like a homecoming parade. The Spanish star has made this tournament his personal playground over the past few years. In 2025, he’s chasing his third title in four editions of the Madrid Open—a record that, if achieved, would seal his dominance on the Caja Magica clay. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff enters the same tournament with a different energy. She hasn’t lifted a single trophy this year, but she’s stepping onto the red dirt with something to prove. Before they even got their rackets out, the two stars reunited in Madrid for a different kind of mission.

Alcaraz has been on a tear lately. He recently grabbed his first Monte Carlo Masters title, showing off his grit and clay-court instincts. He then followed that up with another deep run at the Barcelona Open, reaching the final. That’s where Holger Rune spoiled the party, defeating him 7-6(6), 6-2 in a tight battle. Still, with back-to-back finals under his belt, the 21-year-old looks locked in for Madrid.

On the other side, Gauff’s clay campaign hasn’t quite clicked yet. She exited the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart after a quarterfinal defeat to Jasmine Paolini. The Italian handled business, taking the match 6-4, 6-3. That loss marked Gauff’s sixth of the year. The American is still waiting to rediscover the magic that saw her end 2024 on a high, when she clinched the WTA Finals title. Madrid might just be her reset button.

However, before that, on Tuesday, both Alcaraz and Gauff were spotted at a special unveiling for the Mutua Madrid Open. The event was the presentation of a semi-permanent installation of the Magic Box, designed by renowned architect Dominique Perrault. Even Madrid’s mayor marked his presence for this event, and the tournament’s official account on X posted snapshots of this important occasion.

Speaking of beginnings, both Alcaraz and Gauff have a tough path ahead. The second-seeded Spaniard will open his Madrid campaign against either Yoshihito Nishioka or Zizou Bergs. If he gets through that, a third-round clash against last year’s semifinalist Jiri Lehecka is on the cards. Things don’t get easier from there—Grigor Dimitrov is seeded to meet him in the fourth round, with potential quarterfinal opponents including Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti, or Stefanos Tsitsipas. And his toughest opponent, Novak Djokovic, could be waiting in the semis.

As for Gauff, the fourth seed enjoys a first-round bye. She’ll begin against the winner of Dayana Yastremska and a qualifier yet to be placed. If she moves on, there’s a possible third-round match with Leylah Fernandez—another young gun with plenty of spark. A quarterfinal could pit Gauff against Mirra Andreeva. But things heat up quickly. Should she make it to the final four, she could be staring across the net at either defending champ Iga Swiatek or the big-hitting Madison Keys.

And apparently, Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz meeting before the tournament can actually bring good luck to both of them. How, you ask?

When Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz’s meetup sparked good luck

In October, before the China Open kicked off in Beijing, the two stars explored the Forbidden City together, all dressed up in traditional Hanfu clothing. That light-hearted moment off the court turned into something pretty special on it.

Alcaraz went on a rampage, taking down World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the final: 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3). Then Gauff matched that energy. She stormed through the women’s draw and finished the job with a clean 6-1, 6-3 win over Karolína Muchová in the final. Afterward, Gauff shared a “how it started vs how it’s going” photo. On one side, the two were captured in Hanfu; on the other, they were both holding their China Open trophies. Coincidence? Maybe!

So here we are again—same duo, different city, but a similar vibe. Could Madrid be the sequel fans didn’t know they needed?