Alcaraz explains why he plays in the Laver Cup despite not earning ATP points
The Spanish tennis player has recently complained about the harshness of the calendar and has acknowledged why he always makes an exception for this team competition.
Carlos Alcaraz and 'Team Europe' have the mission in the Laver Cup 2026 to seek revenge for the defeat suffered against 'Team Rest of The World' in 2025. Starting this Friday, the action will begin at the O2 in London where, led by Yannick Noah, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Jakub Mensik, Rafael Jódar, Flavio Cobolli, and Casper Ruud (with Arthur Fery as a reserve) will play as locals to make a statement. In the pre-tournament press conference, Alcaraz was one of the main protagonists and explained why he participates in this competition despite it adding an extra burden to his calendar and not earning ATP points.
The Spanish tennis player complained about the toughness of the calendar after returning from his wrist injury and acknowledged that in the future he will take longer breaks to prioritize his physical condition. When asked why he chooses to come to the Laver Cup, Carlos was unequivocal. "We are not used to playing team tournaments. Throughout the rest of the year, we practically have no events of this kind. Personally, I love team tournaments; I enjoy spending time with my teammates and having fun. As we saw last year, I enjoyed it a lot both on and off the court," he explained.
In fact, he went further, stating that "it’s a week in which I could be training or resting, but it helps me a lot to recover joy on the court and the pleasure of playing tennis; moreover, it serves me greatly for the upcoming tournaments. I try to make the most of this week and, of course, get to know the players better off the court. For me, it’s a privilege that I enjoy immensely. One must also appreciate the enjoyment aspect; what this competition brings me is precisely that joy in playing tennis".
Alcaraz sheds the pressure of being the leader
On the other hand, Alcaraz is clear that the key to the team is to work together, relieving the pressure of acting as a possible team leader. "Every team needs a leader, but I believe that in this team there is not just one. What I mean is that we are all among the best players in the world, so we all go in the same direction; we try to help each other in the best way possible. So I don’t see myself as a leader, neither in this competition nor in any other; I just try to give my best, to help my teammates and the team as much as I can, and for me that’s everything."
The last topic he was questioned about was his hair ranking and whether the rest of the team agreed, stating that "I think they didn’t review the ranking, so I’ll try to fix it and we’ll see if they agree or not. You know, Zverev is always trying to get me to make a ponytail; he tells me that every day. I don’t know if I’ll manage it or not, but I’ll take care of that later."
Noah takes responsibility for the 2025 defeat
The rest of the team was also present at the press conference, including captain Yannick Noah, who took responsibility for last year’s defeat, where he debuted as captain. "Well, my job is very simple: basically, to sit in what is probably the best seat in the entire stadium and watch the champions play. Sometimes they come over to me. I think if I can make them feel comfortable and a little happy, they will play well, because they don’t need me to play well.
Sometimes they put pressure on me because sometimes they need bananas and I don’t have any, you know? (laughs). But I’m very happy and grateful to be here with them. As I told them last night, I’m very glad to be part of this journey. How do I feel? Of course, last year, with the tennis players, when we were training, we tried to win. We love the game. We counted the points and last year we lost. So, naturally, when a team of this caliber loses, the first thing people do is look at the captain. So it was my fault. That’s why I’m going to try to do it right this year and try to win this time," he concluded.
Jódar analyzes his debut at the Laver Cup
Rafa Jódar also explained what it means to debut in the tournament alongside tennis players of this caliber after a great year. "It’s great to be with the best players in the world. I think we have a very good team this year. Unfortunately, they didn’t win last year, but I think they have even more desire to win this year. We are eager to start the competition and, for me, it is a pleasure to be here and share this week with them," he concluded.
Finally, Casper Ruud also spoke about his return to the O2 Arena after the 2022 edition in which Roger Federer retired. "It feels special. When I arrived at the stadium on Tuesday and had my first training session, I remembered the moment I stepped on the court four years ago: we were there watching the ceremony and Roger’s farewell speech. I think everyone in the stadium was trying to hold back tears but couldn’t; I myself and all the players present got emotional. I saw all my idols crying on the court because one of the legends was retiring; it’s hard to describe how emotional it was. I want to make up for the defeat of 2022 now that we are back here. Maybe this time we can try to win for Roger at the O2," he concluded.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz explica por qué juega la Laver Cup a pesar de no sumar puntos ATP