Carlos Alcaraz: The ultimate teammate

World No. 1 and freshly crowned US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz returns hungry for more success after his heroics at Laver Cup Berlin 2024. The formidable six-time major winner promises to produce his trademark best at Chase Center in San Francisco, where he has his sights set on securing points from both singles and doubles matches.

How it’s going
By clinching his second US Open title earlier this month, the 22-year-old reclaimed the coveted position atop the PIF ATP Rankings from Jannik Sinner, who held the post for 65 weeks. Alcaraz’s feat in New York etched his name in the history books as only the second Grand Slam champion since 1991 to drop three or less service games on his way to a title after Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 1994 and 1997.

Earlier this year against his Italian rival, Alcaraz saved three championship points en route to the Roland Garros title, where he was the defending champion. The 2025 Wimbledon finalist amassed ATP Masters 1000 titles in Cincinnati, Rome and Monte Carlo and also secured titles at London’s Queen’s Club and in Rotterdam.

The charismatic right-hander was also a finalist in Barcelona, where he lost to Team Europe teammate Holger Rune, a semifinalist at Indian Wells and a quarterfinalist at the Australian Open.

Laver Cup’s appeal
Alcaraz, whose complete game is admired by fans, peers and tennis greats alike, cherishes the Laver Cup experience. “The energy that I got there…was crazy to be honest,” he smiled, referencing the Berlin 2024 edition. “Having the opportunity to play a team event with the players that I used to fight against – for me was great. I just enjoyed, I think I got different energy to refresh my mind, my batteries just to come in even stronger for the next event,” he said.

Throughout the year, Alcaraz is accustomed to taking advice from a coaching team helmed by Juan Carlos Ferrero. At Laver Cup, he excitedly makes an adjustment to absorb feedback from a team that includes rivals like Alexander Zverev, with whom the Spaniard shares a 6-6 win-loss record, and Casper Ruud, who secured a straight-sets win over Alcaraz during their most recent encounter at last year’s Nitto ATP Finals.

“Sometimes we have our plans when you’re playing against those players and then having them in the bench, giving their perspective about the match, about what I should do [in] the match…it’s weird at the beginning, but then you get used to it and you enjoy, you can give them your perspective as well on how you see their tennis from the outside. It’s great,” he added. “I just love that [I get] to be a coach sometimes.”

Though Alcaraz has grasped his fair share of silverware this season, he’s optimistic about hoisting the Laver Cup trophy again this month, even if it’s not on home soil. “It was really a special moment celebrating the Laver Cup with all of my teammates, holding the trophy, [celebrating] with the fans,” he said, recalling the euphoria in Berlin, where the crowd was expectedly behind Team Europe and enthralled by his performance during the final match on Sunday, which clinched victory for the men in blue.

“This time it’s going to be different,” he acknowledged. “I’m excited about getting that experience again so I will try to lift the trophy at the end and celebrate with my teammates again.”

Looking ahead to San Francisco
Even when he’s competing in other cities, the Laver Cup is front of mind for Alcaraz. “I’ve been talking about the Laver Cup with some of the players,” he revealed during an interview ahead of his US Open title run. “I love the format,” he said, adding that he’s been discussing doubles and speculating about the team lineup.

“I’ve been talking with Sasha and [other] players about that…reminding [them] from last year and about doubles and about the day[s],” he said. “I’m just excited.”

Alcaraz is hoping to reunite with Zverev to avenge their loss in Berlin to Team World. “I want to play with Sasha again…I just really want to get a win with him as a partner,” he said.

In the German capital, the right-hander also combined with Ruud to overcome Frances Tiafoe and Shelton, and said he loves sharing the court with the Norwegian. “The energy that I got playing with Casper last year was crazy, I just love playing with him,” he said. The 22-year-old is also eager to compete on the same side of the net as Flavio Cobolli in San Francisco.

“I have [a] really good relationship with him off the court,” said the Spaniard. “I think his talent is pretty good as well at the net and his thoughts, so I think [is] one of those players I’m really excited about playing doubles with.”

Alcaraz briefly met new Captain Yannick Noah in Berlin, and believes the Frenchman is well placed to steer in the men in blue toward victory. “I hear really funny and good stories about him,” Alcaraz said of the 1983 Roland Garros champion. “We are going to enjoy time with him,” he added. “Rookie captain…I’m really confident that he’s going to do it great.”

Alcaraz is a little more familiar with vice captain Tim Henman through the Brit’s role as a commentator. “I think he knows my tennis much better,” he mused. “I think the combination of those two is going to be great.” Away from the action at Chase Center, Alcaraz is hoping to do a little sightseeing when he’s in the Bay Area. “I was thinking about that other place[s] that I should that I should go, but having a surname like Alcaraz I should go to Alcatraz,” he grinned.