Four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz leads Team Europe to a fifth Laver Cup title after beating Team World by 13-11 in the final match on Sunday. Alcaraz dedicated the victory to retiring captain Borg while admitting there were fears about whether he would play in the final.
Alcaraz-Led Team Europe Stages Comeback to Register Fifth Laver Cup
Team Europe began the final trailing 4-8 by points. However, Alcaraz’s team bounced back into the game after Alcaraz and Casper Ruud defeated Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe in the opening doubles match. Following the victory, the gap between both sides trimmed to one in a 7-8 scoreline.
Ben Shelton extended Team World's lead following his win over Daniil Medvedev. But it wasn't sufficient to give them the title as Alexander Zverev reignited Team Europe's hopes with his victory over Francis Tiafoe.
Emotional Tribute as Alcaraz Continues Fine 2024 Form
The final match saw Alcaraz secure a straight-sets win over Fritz, sealing Team Europe's feat. After the victory, the four-time major winner dedicated the triumph to Bjorn Borg, who is retiring soon.
"We did it for you," Alcaraz said following the triumph. Borg, on his part, relished in his team's heroics, while acknowledging the fierce competition Team World gave his side at the Laver Cup. Team World had been successive title winners in the last two editions and were clear favorites going into this year's edition.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old continues his fine form in 2024. Alcaraz already clinched the French Open and Wimbledon titles this year, demonstrating his top-tier level in the game. His most recent season has seen him record a win-loss record of 43-9, establishing him as one of the sport’s finest.
Alcaraz's fourth title this year came from the Indian Wells. Outside these, he secured a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics after losing in the final to Novak Djokovic, whom tennis icon Todd Woodbridge claims is way beyond the youngster's current abilities. The victory marks Team Europe's fifth Laver Cup title. However, it was their first triumph since the 2021 edition.
However, Carlos Alcaraz said there were “nerves” as he wasn’t sure whether he would get the opportunity to lead his side to Laver Cup triumph.
“I was watching from TV inside the locker room, trying to give my support from there. I came here to watch the last game of the second set and then I had to warm up. But the nerves were there. I didn’t know if I was going to play or not until the last moment but I’m really happy that Sasha won at the end and gave me a chance to play once again.”
In a Nutshell
Carlos Alcaraz leads Team Europe to a Laver Cup triumph following a 13-11 defeat over Team World. The Spaniard dedicated the victory to retiring captain Borg while admitting there were fears about whether he'd eventually play at the final to seal his side's Laver Cup triumph.