SEPT 25 - 27, 2026 | LONDON
The final major of the season has sharpened the storylines ahead of the ninth edition of the Laver Cup, with the US Open delivering a second Grand Slam title for Alexander Zverev, the return of Carlos Alcaraz and a new addition to Team World in Brandon Nakashima.
World No.16 Nakashima was named to Team World following the withdrawal of US Open finalist Ben Shelton. He will join Captain Andre Agassi’s lineup 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.
Heading to London in the strongest form of his career is Zverev, enjoying a landmark season. The Team Europe star captured his first US Open title on Sunday, 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,” said 29-year-old Zverev after defeating Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in New York. “2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
Ranked No.2 in the world, Zverev arrived at Flushing Meadows as one of the tournament’s leading figures. He overcame two testing five-setters in his opening two rounds, 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, who was competing in his first major final.
The two-time Grand Slam champion 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.”
For Shelton, the US Open represented another important step in a rapid rise. The 23-year-old entered the tournament chasing history and produced the biggest victory of his career when he defeated Alcaraz in a suspenseful five-set quarterfinal.
Team World newcomer 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 Jakub 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, who successfully defended the title. At his next stop in Cincinnati, he continued his run, reaching the semifinals and this time defeating Fritz in the last eight.
Alcaraz returns
For Team Europe, one of the biggest developments in New York was the return of seven-time major champion Alcaraz to the Grand Slam stage, after four months away from competition.
“I am feeling better and better after every match. It feels like I have been competing the whole time,” said Alcaraz, the defending champion in New York.
Alcaraz’s next scheduled appearance is with Team Europe in London, where he will reunite with Zverev and the rest of Captain Yannick Noah’s lineup, including Flavio Cobolli, Rafael Jodar, Mensik and Casper Ruud. 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.
Zverev arrives with his first major title secured and three consecutive Grand Slam finals behind him. Alcaraz has returned to the Grand Slam stage, while Nakashima enters the Laver Cup as an exciting new addition to Team World’s ranks and in the best form of his career. With Team Europe seeking a sixth Laver Cup title and Team World defending its crown, the stage is set for London.
