Alcaraz Backs Zverev Ahead of London Showdown
Carlos Alcaraz arrived at the O2 Arena in London buzzing with excitement and wasted no time making headlines, declaring that his Team Europe teammate Alexander Zverev is probably the best player in the world right now. The comment is notable because it comes at a time when Jannik Sinner has been widely considered among the top contenders for that title. Alcaraz was effusive in his admiration, adding that having Zverev on the same side is a tremendous advantage for Team Europe. Zverev arrives at the Laver Cup as the reigning US Open champion, having lifted the trophy at Flushing Meadows just weeks before the event.
Alcaraz himself is riding genuine momentum after a difficult stretch. A wrist injury sustained at the Barcelona Open in April kept him sidelined for roughly four and a half months, forcing him to miss the grass court season entirely, including Wimbledon. His comeback at the US Open exceeded expectations: he dropped only one set across four matches before falling to Ben Shelton in a grueling five-set quarterfinal.
Smart Scheduling and Revenge Motivation
Renowned coach Rick Macci praised Alcaraz for choosing the Laver Cup over representing Spain at the Davis Cup, noting that switching from hard courts to clay so quickly would have been unnecessary stress on his recovering body. Spain ultimately won their Davis Cup tie against Chile without him.
Alcaraz also has personal motivation in London, having lost to Team World's Taylor Fritz at the previous Laver Cup. He smiled while admitting Fritz outplayed him convincingly, but promised he will be ready if they meet again. With a packed schedule of events planned through November, Alcaraz's return is fully underway. TennisDraw users had Alcaraz among the most talked-about picks for Team Europe's standout performer this week.
