SEPT 25 - 27, 2026 | LONDON
Alexander Zverev arrives at Laver Cup London as a two-time Grand Slam champion after capturing his first US Open title, while Carlos Alcaraz returns to Team Europe after making his comeback at the final major of the season.
Zverev defeated Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in Sunday’s final to complete a landmark run of three consecutive Grand Slam finals, following his triumph at Roland-Garros and runner-up finish at Wimbledon: three finals, three different surfaces and a growing presence at the very top of the game.
“We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title, and now we’ve won two in three months,” the 29-year-old Zverev said. “2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
Ranked No.2 in the world, Zverev overcame two testing five-setters in his opening two rounds in New York, spending nearly nine and a half hours on court before finding another level. He then won his third-round, quarterfinal and semifinal matches in straight sets before claiming the title against Shelton.
Zverev said his victory in Paris had erased darker memories of the deep disappointment he experienced after losing the US Open final in 2020 to Dominic Thiem.
“I think the scars of the 2020 final, they kind of disappeared after I won in Paris,” Zverev said. “Whereas before winning in Paris, I felt a lot of stress all the time, because there was always a question mark, will I ever win one? What I think now is that it’s just more of a joy to play these kinds of finals.”
Alcaraz, the defending US Open champion, returned to the tour after four months away and reached the quarterfinals in New York. His next scheduled appearance is at The O2, where he will reunite with Zverev and the rest of Captain Yannick Noah’s Team Europe lineup, including Flavio Cobolli, Rafael Jodar, Jakub Mensik and Casper Ruud.
“I am feeling better and better after every match. It feels like I have been competing the whole time,” said Alcaraz.
World No.16 Brandon Nakashima was named to Team World replacing Shelton. He will join Captain Andre Agassi’s roster alongside Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Learner Tien, Alexander Bublik and Francisco Cerundolo when the battle against Team Europe begins at The O2 on September 25.
Nakashima heads to London after a strong run of results through the North American hard-court swing. The 25-year-old reached the quarterfinals in Washington, where he defeated Team Europe’s Mensik and Team World’s de Minaur en route to the semifinals. He was eliminated by teammate and fellow Californian Fritz.
Nakashima made an even bigger impact in Montreal, advancing to his first ATP Masters 1000 final and an all-American clash with Shelton. At his next stop in Cincinnati, he continued his run, reaching the semifinals and this time defeating Fritz in the last eight.
Except for Jodar, Team Europe’s roster remains unchanged from Laver Cup San Francisco 2025, while Nakashima, Tien and Bublik are new additions to Team World.
“It’s always nice to enter Laver Cup in good form, but we’re a team event and we’re there for each other and that’s all that matters,” Zverev said.
Added Alcaraz: “I’m really excited because I’ve never played there professionally, excited and looking forward to playing in The O2 for the first time. This year playing in London is going to be quite a different history for us. We’re going to try to put all the crowd behind us, supporting us. We’re going to do whatever it takes to win and celebrate at the end.”
Team World is equally motivated to retain the Laver Cup. “It’s going to be a battle, but I think that’s where Team World, we thrive,” countered de Minaur. “We enjoy these team competitions, it brings out the best in us, and we’ve got a lot of firepower on our side. We’ll definitely be up for it.”
Added Fritz, competing in his sixth Laver Cup and holding a 6-2 record in singles, “I think it’s going to be as tough as ever … It’s always going to come down to a couple of matches.”
With Team Europe seeking a sixth Laver Cup title and Team World defending its crown, the stage is set for London.
