WATCH: Dream team Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek wow with their football skills ahead of US Open

World No 1s Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek provided the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd plenty of entertainment during a “practice” match on Saturday.

The two reigning US Open champions joined forces at the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day ahead of the 2023 season-ending Grand Slam as they took part in a football doubles match.

The kids’ day is an annual children’s event that takes place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in memory of the great Arthur Ashe and of his efforts to help young people through tennis.

Alcaraz and Swiatek certainly give those in the stands value for their money as they squared off against comedy group Dude Perfect and proved that they are as comfortable with a ball at their feet as they are with a racket in their hands.

There was one rally in particular that got the spectators involved as it took one-minute to settle.

And the celebrations Alcaraz and Swiatek were not too bad either.

We know @iga_swiatek and @carlosalcaraz can play tennis.

But these soccer skills are 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LXTwqKMTSg

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2023

Both Alcaraz and Swiatek returned to New York this week for the first time since last year’s success and the former was asked if he liked being recognised on the streets.

“Sometimes I like it; sometimes no. Sometimes you want to feel like a normal guy, to walk normally,” he said. “Here in New York, there are a lot of Spanish people, South American people as well. It’s difficult for me to walk normally sometimes.

“I wish some days to be someone not recognised at all. But it’s going to be impossible. I have to enjoy that part as well. But sometimes it makes difficult.”

Swiatek, meanwhile, will be gunning for her fifth Grand Slam title next week and she was asked about what will be key to defending her title in New York.

“That’s a tough question because on one hand you always want to kind of take experience from last year, find all these positive things that happened, take strength from that,” she said.

“On the other hand you have to remember that it’s totally different story. A lot can happen during like these 12 months. So I try to, yeah, take everything step by step, not really go forward with my thoughts, think that I need to do something more because last year I won.

“Remembering this is a totally different chapter always help. I also want to kind of just take a lesson from last year. I learned a lot during US Open. This was probably the most important tournament in terms of me believing in myself and progressing on hard courts.

“I’ll try to just focus on that. As I said, yeah, take everything step by step.”

READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz puts rankings out of his mind as he seeks US Open title repeat