NBA star Jimmy Butler is tipping top seed Carlos Alcaraz to win his quarterfinal match on Wednesday night in his absence but promised he'll be back in New York for the semifinal on Friday.
The Miami Heat ace has been a mainstay on the tennis courts of New York, as he continues to enjoy an eventual offseason away from the basketball courts. Butler is a massive fan of Alcaraz and both maintain a cordial relationship and mutual respect and admiration for each other.
This year's US Open has rocked and rumbled in the presence of a gaudy list of celebrities and famous glitterati. But Butler's love goes far beyond watching tennis matches in person, as he also enjoys a close bond with Alcaraz and Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old American phenom who reached her first US Open semifinal.
Alcaraz ignited the party vibes immediately after his fourth-round win over Matteo Arnaldi earned him a place in the last eight of the US Open for the third straight year. He relished a get-together in the company of Butler and famed Colombian artist J Balvin backstage.
The three of them exchanged pleasantries and engaged in chit-chat and laughter. Butler told Alcaraz that he was traveling to LA and promised to come back for the quarterfinals on Friday, expressing his total confidence in the Spaniard's chances against Alexander Zverev in Wednesday's blockbuster quarterfinal match.
Alcaraz appears unfazed by the presence of celebrities and big names in the stands. Speaking after his win over Arnaldi, he admits that it was surreal to play in front of such high-profile names, and in a way, it helps him to play better.
"I notice when they're watching. Sometimes, ‘Oh, my God, he's there or she's there.’ It's crazy. I knew before the match that Jimmy and J Balvin were going to come. Anybody else, I think this really was good for me!"
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