Carlos Alcaraz will get to watch from close quarters and immerse himself in the Laver Cup spectacle later this year, and he is looking forward to it.
The Spaniard was named as Team Europe's first representative for the 2024 extravaganza, which will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany, in late September.
Alcaraz called it a "great honor" to play at the event. He had attracted strong interest in 2023, but eventually, his schedule did not allow him to partake in the tournament.
However, retired tennis legend Roger Federer, who co-owns the Laver Cup, revealed his desire to hire Alcaraz's services for the 2024 edition. He is also hopeful of bringing World No. 1 Novak Djokovic back.
While the Laver Cup is famous for fostering camaraderie between players and instilling a unique format, tempers can boil down, and players are not immune from the occasional on-court outburst as was the case last year when Gael Monfils and Felix Auger-Aliassime clashed.
For Alcaraz, however, this is a special tournament, and he shared his excitement about playing in it for the first time. The 20-year-old has most certainly been a keen spectator, judging by the number of interactions he can recall from the past tournaments.
"I remember when Kyrgios was like (whistling), its really weird. So funny for me. When the teammates become coaches as well. You know, talking there, in the middle of the match. Fognini with Rafa (Nadal) and Roger (Federer) behind him."
"It was great. Its really good for the players, for tennis as well, to see that part. Playing together on the same team, sharing great moments off the court that probably normally we can't. It's great."
Team Europe are looking to reclaim its throne after losing the last two editions of the Laver Cup. They lost quite comprehensively in Vancouver, Canada, last year by the score of 13-2, winning just one single match across three days.
0 Comments