Carlos Alcaraz emerged as a magnificent leader of Team Europe’s Laver Cup win last weekend and in doing so, he sent a chilling message to his own team-mates.
At the age of 21, Alcaraz was the baby of a team led by tennis legend Bjorn Borg, yet the experienced Alexander Zverev revealed how much weight the 21-year-old Spaniard carried in the dressing room.
As Team Europe made a decision on who would play in Sunday’s decisive Laver Cup matches in Berlin, Alcaraz appeared to be handed the casting vote.
“We had a meeting last night, an extremely simple meeting,” said Zverev.
“Carlos (walked in and he decided that I am going to play doubles with Casper. Daniil (Medvedev) is gonna play singles against (Ben) Shelton.
“You (comment directed at Zverev) are not going to lose against (Frances) Tiafoe, and I am going to win the deciding match.”
There was a smile on Zverev’s face as he made the comment so he may have embellished some of the details for comedic effect, but it seems it was Alcaraz and not captain Bjorn Borg who had a leading role in the final team selection.
Cynics of the Laver Cup may argue it is little more than an exhibition event organised to generate huge money from corporate attendees, but the lasting impression from a tennis perspective confirmed where Alcaraz now sits in the pecking order of the men’s game.
Jannik Sinner may be the world No 1 and a two-time Grand Slam winner in 2024, but Alcaraz is the face and the leader of the men’s game.
His charming personality and beaming smile reach out beyond tennis to a sporting audience that has turned this kid into a superstar in double quick time.
And when you hear an established player like Zverev openly accepting Alcaraz has the tennis talent to decide what happens in an event like the Laver Cup, you quickly appreciate the respect he has in the locker room.
There were some question marks raised about Alcaraz after his US Open defeat against Botic van de Zandschulp, but that was clearly the result of a hectic European summer that had the Olympic Games tagged onto the back of his schedule.
A fatigued Alcaraz looked like he needed to take some time away from tennis to recharge his batteries and yet the Laver Cup in Berlin confirmed his recuperation time could be counted in days rather than weeks.
Aura is important for any elite level athlete and as Zverev, Medvedev, Shelton and Fritz could only look on in awe at Alcaraz’s magnificent performance in the final match of the Laver Cup, there was no doubting who the king of the men’s game right now.
Any suggestion that Alcaraz is not able to adapt his game to an indoor surface was banished with his Laver Cup heroics and he will now head to Asia looking to close the gap on Sinner at the top of the ATP Rankings.
Fatigue may be an ongoing issue for Alcaraz and he suggested as much once again last weekend, but he has five events left on his calendar and will believe he can end this year with at least one more ATP 1000 title on his record, the ATP Finals title he has never won before and maybe even the Davis Cup with Spain to cap a perfect 2024.
Alcaraz is back… and anyone who doubted his dip in form would last for long was underestimating a player who has the potential to be one of the greatest tennis players of all-time.
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