SEPT 25 - 27, 2026 | LONDON
Laver Cup alums have featured in the first week of the Australian Open, underlining their presence as the first Grand Slam tournament of the 2026 season builds toward its second week.
Carlos Alcaraz, the first player confirmed for Team Europe in London later this year, has looked every bit a man on a mission. The world No.1 cruised through his opening matches to reach the fourth round, sharpening his bid to claim the only major missing from his resume. “I’m just hungry for the title,” Alcaraz said. “Hungry to do a really good result here.”
On the other side of the Laver Cup divide, Taylor Fritz has quietly reasserted himself. The Team World stalwart, again set to play under Andre Agassi in London in September, eased through his early rounds, dropping just one set and beginning to feel like himself on court. Off it, he’s continued a now-established tradition that began back in 2018 — bringing the American contingent together for a pre-tournament dinner. “Whoever can come comes, and I’ve kind of taken charge planning it,” Fritz said.
Among those at the table, Fritz’s Laver Cup teammate in Vancouver and Berlin, Ben Shelton, opened his campaign with a straight-set win on Rod Laver Arena and now stares down a testing path that could include Casper Ruud in the fourth round and defending champion Jannik Sinner. “I’m looking forward to trying to continue this form and make it better and better throughout the tournament,” Shelton said.
Team World depth has been on display elsewhere, too. Francisco Cerúndolo, a San Francisco champion with Team World, made light work of his opening matches to reach the fourth round, where he will take on five-time Team Europe champion Alexander Zverev.
Tommy Paul, yet to drop a set in his first three rounds, earned the privilege of taking on Alcaraz in a fourth-round blockbuster on Sunday. “Always a great challenge playing Carlos. He can really do anything on the court. Lightning fast. I mean, he’s like the standard that everyone’s trying to catch up to right now,” said Paul, the 19th seed, and an Australian Open semifinalist in 2023.
“But you’ve got to go into that with excitement, be ready to face that, be ready to bring your best level, believe in yourself. That’s something that I bring to the table every time I play Carlos. I believe I can win every time I go out there. Without that, you’re going out there with no purpose.”
For Australia, Alex de Minaur has carried the weight of home expectations with growing assurance. Now ranked No.6 in the world, the Team World 2022 and 2025 champion is moving smoothly through the opening week with quiet resolve.
“I think the way I’m feeling at the moment is that I’ve gotten to a stage where I’m not just another number in this draw,” said De Minaur, who dispatched former Team World teammate Frances Tiafoe in the third round on Friday. “I’m playing to win it and be one of those guys in contention.”
Experience has counted too. Five-time Laver Cup champion Alexander Zverev, runner-up in Melbourne last year, welcomed a string of stern early-round tests as he found his feet. “You know where you are, and you know where your level is, especially in difficult moments,” the German said.
Jakub Mensik, a rookie at last year’s Laver Cup in San Francisco, announced himself with a gritty five-set first round-win. At the same time, Novak Djokovic — a fixture at the “Happy Slam” since its earliest editions — reached another milestone. The 10-time Australian Open champion secured his 100th Melbourne victory in the first round.
“Just overall felt really good on the court that has made me feel good on it for so many times throughout my career,” Djokovic said.
Team Europe 2025 alternate Tomas Machac, fresh from winning his second ATP singles title in Adelaide, carried that momentum into Melbourne by defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the first round and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second.
Former three-time Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev also continued his early-season form, building on his Brisbane title with another solid start at Melbourne Park.
In total, 31 Laver Cup alumni started the Australian Open 2026 main draw, and many remain firmly in the mix as the tournament heads into its second week.
