SEPT 25 - 27, 2026 | LONDON
When Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz step onto the black court at The O2 in September 2026, one of the Laver Cup’s most compelling modern rivalries will enter a new chapter.
The first players named for Team Europe and Team World have already shaped some of the event’s most memorable moments, and their reunion in London — the site of Team World’s breakthrough victory in 2022 — sets the stage for another high-stakes showdown.
For Team World, London carries special meaning. It was there, under Captain John McEnroe, that Fritz and his teammates broke through for a maiden title. Alcaraz was not yet part of Team Europe, but Fritz played a central role, defeating Britain’s Cameron Norrie on Day 2. In 2026, the No.6 ranked Fritz returns with no shortage of motivation.
Their head-to-head has so far tilted heavily toward the Spaniard. Alcaraz, who ended 2026 as world ranked No.1 and the first player outside the Big 4 to finish the ATP season with more than 12,000 points, has won five of their six encounters. But Fritz’s lone victory was one of the most consequential Laver Cup results in recent years — a straight-sets win on Day 2 in San Francisco that helped propel Captain Andre Agassi’s team to a third title.
“I played an amazing match that day,” Fritz recalled. “I was thinking about how we played at Laver Cup, the year before, and I felt like he beat me pretty bad in that match. I came out and played one of my best matches of the year.”
After defeating Alcaraz, Fritz returned on Sunday to secure the competition-clinching win over Alexander Zverev, offering redemption after the heartbreak of Berlin in 2025 when the American lost the final match to Alcaraz.
It was Alcaraz’s Laver Cup debut in Bjorn Borg’s final campaign as Team Europe’s Captain. For the six-time Grand Slam champion, sharing the triumph with his teammates was what made his Laver Cup debut so special.
“It is amazing when you get a win with your teammates and you can share the win with them,” Alcaraz said. “And when you lose, it’s kind of the same feeling, but the opposite.”
That team spirit is at the heart of why he is returning for a third time under captain Yannick Noah, who succeeded Borg. “Having them as teammates is really special. I think that’s unique.”
Towards The O2
Alcaraz’s focus for London 2026 is straightforward: bring the trophy back to Europe. “I’m going to do whatever it takes,” he pledged. “It’s going to be a great moment playing in London. My goal is to have the crowd behind us.”
Reflecting on the San Francisco loss to Fritz, he offered generous praise to his American rival. “He was really solid. He was playing really aggressively and serving pretty well.”
For Fritz, London will mark his sixth Laver Cup appearance, and another opportunity to thrive in the intensely collective environment that the competition creates.
“I love the team atmosphere, the energy that you get playing these matches where you feel like you’re playing for more than yourself, you’re playing for Team World, you’re playing for all your teammates,” he said. “Everyone’s kind of firing you up from the bench. I think that’s what makes it such a fun week, an exciting week for me.”
But the highs have been matched by equally memorable disappointments. “I’d say the two losses were crushing, honestly, because the two losses we had were very close,” Fritz reflected, referring to Berlin and his first campaign with Team World in Geneva 2019 when Zverev clinched the final points in a win over Milos Raonic.
“Came down to the last match both times. And it hurt a lot. Especially last year in Berlin, considering I lost the last match against Carlos. But the wins have felt so good, especially the ones that really come down to the wire, that those are the ones that really make it fun, like London.”
A major source of inspiration for Team World will again be Captain Agassi, whose presence Fritz described with enthusiasm. “Andre just brought so much positive energy. I’m excited to come back and see him on the bench and see him on the practice court and spend another week with Team World.”
The opportunity to celebrate victories as a group, Fritz added, is one of the competition’s greatest gifts.
“In tennis, we don’t typically get to celebrate with other players. That’s what makes it so special … being able to celebrate with all these guys.”
As the ninth edition approaches, Alcaraz and Fritz once again find themselves at the center of the narrative: two rivals whose contrasting strengths have repeatedly shaped the outcome of the Laver Cup. Come London 2026, their rivalry will be renewed under the bright lights of The O2.
