Rivalries heat up from hard courts to clay

As the ATP Tour shifts gears from the American hard courts to European clay, the recent Indian Wells and Miami ATP Masters provided key insights into the form of players who could shape the Laver Cup battle in San Francisco this September.

For Team Europe, Carlos Alcaraz reaffirmed his status as one of the sport’s most dynamic forces. The Spanish star and two-time defending champion in Indian Wells powered through the early rounds without dropping a set before meeting a resurgent Jack Draper in a high-stakes semifinal showdown. Draper went on to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title against Holger Rune in the championship match.

Though his Miami campaign ended earlier than expected, world No.3-ranked Alcaraz remained upbeat as he shifted gears to the European clay season, starting in Monte-Carlo this week. With two Masters 1000 titles and a Roland-Garros crown already on the surface, the Spaniard was feeling confident. “You have to stay strong mentally and believe in yourself,” the 21-year-old said. “I am really happy with the way I am playing.”

“There are so many players who play well on clay and on all surfaces. In the clay season I think it is going to be interesting. I see a lot of players who are capable of doing great things on clay.”

While he felt the Monte-Carlo draw was wide open, Alcaraz backed himself to lift the trophy in Madrid two weeks later. “It’s my home, I can’t say anyone else!” Looking ahead to Rome in early May, Alcaraz tipped his Laver Cup San Francisco teammate and defending champion Alexander Zverev as the man to beat.

Team World’s Momentum
Across the net, Team World’s Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul showed why they could be major assets in San Francisco. Fritz, a former Indian Wells champion, made the round of 16 in California and pushed through to the Miami semifinals, where he fell in a tight three-setter to rising Czech star Jakub Mensik. With a 14-6 record to open the season, the Californian preserved his No.4 PIF ATP Ranking heading into the clay swing.

Shelton turned heads with his electric shot-making, blasting past three opponents in Indian Wells before being stopped by eventual champion Draper. Paul, recently confirmed to represent Team World in San Francisco under new captain Andre Agassi, built on a strong start to 2025, including a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open, and reached the Houston semifinals on clay. With a career-best semifinal showing in Rome last year, Paul appears primed to go even deeper this time.

Monte Carlo and the Clay-Court Circuit
Monte-Carlo kicks off the traditional clay swing, and with it comes added scrutiny from incoming Laver Cup captains, Agassi and Team Europe’s Yannick Noah. Team Europe Vice Captain Tim Henman recently noted: “Both sides look very healthy because there’s a lot of youngsters coming through, so there’s going to be a lot to look out for.”

While Europe historically dominates this portion of the calendar, players like Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo, and Australia’s relentless Alex de Minaur could disrupt the usual order.

How Team World contenders adapt to the red dirt may offer an early preview of their form heading into San Francisco, where every surface, every style, and every point will matter across three days of competition at Chase Center from September 19-21.