SEPT 25 - 27, 2026 | LONDON
A year after Taylor Fritz humbled him at Laver Cup San Francisco, a pivotal result that helped push Team World over the top, Carlos Alcaraz got his revenge. And he did so in dramatic fashion, saving two match points in the process. On Saturday night at The O2 in London, the 23-year-old Spaniard downed the American Fritz in a classic, 6-3, 4-6, 13-11, leveling the Day 2 team score at 5-5.
It was the fifth of six singles matches over Days 1-2 to be decided in a 10-point Laver Breaker.
“I was thinking a little bit about last year. I was trying not to let it happen again. I was kind of nervous in the beginning, I’m not going to lie, but I’m really happy I took it in the end.” – Carlos Alcaraz
Even in the tightest moments, Alcaraz tended to wear a smile on his face.
“Every time I smile, it feels like I’m having fun and I’m relaxed,” he said. “When that time comes, it’s when I play my best tennis. It’s important to accept the moment, even if it’s break point down or 6-all in the tiebreak. You have to accept those moments.”
Nerves aside, the Spaniard didn’t waste any time sinking his teeth into the contest. Facing one of the tour’s biggest servers, Alcaraz opened the match with a break when he sent a picture-perfect lob beyond Fritz’s reach. With his 28-year-old foe serving to stay in first set at 3-5, 15-40, Alcaraz would capitalize on a backhand approach pass.
Alcaraz dug himself a 0-40 hole at 1-all in the second, and Fritz pounced on the opportunity. The Californian would later serve it out at 5-4, forcing yet another 10-point tiebreak.
Back on tour after a five-month layoff due to a serious wrist injury, seven-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz raced ahead 5-1, flashing his drop-shot prowess and all-court speed. But Fritz held his ground and would fight back and set up a pair of match-point opportunities at 10-9 and 11-10, only to have them erased. Then, on his own third match point at 12-11, Alcaraz sealed the one-hour, 50-minute thriller with, fittingly, another drop shot.
“I really had a sense of it, so in those really close, important moments, I tried to use it because it was a really good weapon for me,” said Alcaraz. “I’ve been practicing the drop shot since I was a little kid. It’s part of my game.”
“I can’t really ask more of myself from the back to hang with him,” Fritz said. “I just needed to maybe serve a little bit better, get some more free points on the serve.”
Appearing in his third consecutive Laver Cup, Alcaraz now owns a 19-1 combined record against Team World players, with that lone loss coming against Fritz.
“I wasn’t surprised about Taylor’s level,” said Alcaraz. “I think both of us played great tennis. The speed of the ball, the intensity, the way we hit the ball in every aspect, I think it was really, really high. I’m just happy to be able to play these kinds of matches to see what I have to improve.”
Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev teamed up to give host Team Europe a 7-5 advantage after Day 2 thanks to a 6-4, 7-6(7) doubles victory over Team World’s Alexander Bublik and Brandon Nakashima.
“Today, all the matches were so close. They could have gone either way,” said Team Europe Captain Yannick Noah. “But we’re very happy to be two points ahead.”
“It was nerve-wracking watching every match today,” echoed Ruud. “Sometimes it’s almost better to play than watch from the sidelines. Luckily, we avoided another match tiebreak. It was a great team effort to get two wins in the night session for Team Europe. We definitely needed it after two tough losses.”
“I’m very happy with the team effort,” Zverev said. “Carlos kicked it off with probably the most important win of the weekend. I’m very happy we finished the day with a win as well.”
Earlier on Saturday, Team World’s Learner Tien leveled the leaderboard against Flavio Cobolli in the first match, winning 6-3, 2-6, 10-7.
Team World’s Alex de Minaur followed, shocking No.2-ranked Zverev in a come-from-behind victory, 2-6 7-6(5) 11-9.
On Sunday matches are worth three points, with the first team to reach 13 points winning the Laver Cup.
