Carlos Alcaraz Calls Alexander Zverev the "Best Player in the World"

Alcaraz isn’t just teaming up with Zverev at this week’s Laver Cup; he’s calling him the man to beat in tennis right now. The two will play together for Team Europe against Team World in London, pairing the world’s No. 2 and No. 3 ranked players on the same side for the first time this season. Ahead of the event, Alcaraz sat down with reporters and made it clear how highly he thinks of his teammate.

Alcaraz’s Praise for His Teammate

Alcaraz didn’t hold back on his praise for his Team Europe teammate when speaking to reporters before the Laver Cup this week. “[Zverev] is probably the best player in the world right now, so having him by my side is going to be a great weapon that we are going to use,” Alcaraz said.

Considering how close the two are in the ATP rankings, Alcaraz’s statement is a bit surprising. However, it shows how humble the Spanish player is and that he recognizes the talent around him.

“Hopefully we are going to get many points and I am going to try to lift him up as much as I can. I missed lifting the trophy last year, so I am going to do whatever it takes to do it this year,” he continued.

Alexander Zverev’s Dominant Season

Alcaraz’s praise for Zverev places him as the top player to beat on the ATP Tour right now, ahead of both himself and No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury. The compliment follows a career-best season for Zverev, where he enters the Laver Cup with a 55-13 record for the year and two Grand Slam titles at the French Open and the US Open.

His Grand Slam record alone this year stands at an extraordinary 25-2, a 92.6% winning percentage in tennis’s most physically demanding format. He’s also gone 20-7 at the Masters 1000 level and strung together a 10-match winning streak at one point this season.

With that kind of resume, Alcaraz’s comments don’t seem that far-fetched at all, and Zverev appears to be a real contender to finish the year as the ATP's world No. 1 for the first time in his career.

Carlos Alcaraz’s Up and Down Season

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz is in the process of his own comeback. He missed more than four months of the season with a wrist injury suffered in April, sidelining him for Wimbledon before making his long-awaited return at this year’s US Open.

He reached the quarterfinals in New York, beating Tommy Paul, Wu Yibing, Jaime Faria, and Roman Safiullin along the way, before losing to Ben Shelton. “I am feeling great and practising well… The US Open was a great test for me, so I can’t wait to play here,” Alcaraz said before the Laver Cup.

Alcaraz and Zverev Team Up for the Laver Cup

This week’s Laver Cup also marks the Spaniard’s first time competing in London this season. “It is great to be playing in London… I am excited. I had my first practice on the O2 for the first time in my life. It is really special and feels great to be here,” Alcaraz said.

Both Alcaraz and Zverev will be representing Team Europe at this year’s Laver Cup, which takes place at the O2 Arena in London from September 25th through 27th. Team World beat Team Europe 15-9 last year in San Francisco and has won three of the last four editions, with Europe’s only win during that stretch coming in 2024.

Alcaraz himself holds a 6-2 record in both singles and doubles at the event, and is making his third career Laver Cup appearance. For Zverev, this marks his seventh Laver Cup, the most of any player, and he enters with a 9-7 overall record at the event. Both players will look to help Team Europe reverse last year’s result and get back on the winning side of the tournament this weekend.

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