Carlos Alcaraz has his sights set on Laver Cup glory as the Spaniard gets set to make his Team Europe debut in Berlin this coming week.
The world No 3 has never played the men’s team competition before and will hope to help Europe regain the title.
Team Europe won the first four editions of the event but suffered back-to-back losses to Team World in 2022 and 2023, including a 13-2 thrashing in Vancouver a year ago.
Action this year takes place in Berlin, where Alcaraz will be joined by the likes of Daniil Medvedev and home player Alexander Zverev.
Speaking to the tournament website ahead of the tournament, the 21-year-old claimed it would be a “huge thing” to lift the title.
“I love it and I wanted to be part of it,” he said.
“It’s a serious competition. I think we have to represent Europe, you know, in the best way possible. The prestige that this tournament has, and, being a Laver Cup champion is a huge thing.
“Having a lot of time with them [his rivals] and speaking with them about something else, not only tennis, is going to be different – and I like different things.”
Alcaraz comes into the Laver Cup off the back of playing a starring role in Spain’s successful qualification for the Davis Cup Finals.
In Valencia last week, the four-time major champion picked up two singles and one doubles rubber victory to help his nation qualify for the Finals – which will be held in Malaga.
His Davis Cup campaign came off the back of his most surprising loss of the season, having been stunned by Botic van de Zandschulp at the US Open in the second round.
However, before that, Alcaraz had been the dominant figure of the summer, lifting the French Open and Wimbledon titles.
The Spaniard is just one of five men to have completed the ‘Channel Slam’ in the Open Era, with Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg among them.
And, in the Swede’s final year at the helm of Team Europe, Alcaraz admits it is an honour to play under the tennis icon.
“[He is] A legend from tennis and from the sport in general,” said Alcaraz.
“My dad is a huge fan of him as well. So being, you know, a coach from Bjorn Borg is going to be a really important moment for me, for my career, for my life.”
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