Key Takeaways
- Carlos Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz in match 7 at Laver Cup 2026 to tie the overall score for Team Europe.
- Alcaraz addressed his audacious use of the drop shot, stating, “obviously I’ve been practicing the drop shot since I was a little kid so it’s part of my game already.”
- Reflecting on handling pressure with a smile, Alcaraz emphasized that “it’s when I play my best tennis when I’m relaxed, when I’m happy, when I’m enjoying the moment.”
Carlos Alcaraz delivers crucial victory for Team Europe
Carlos Alcaraz stepped onto the court at The O2 in London with plenty of pressure resting on his shoulders. With Team World having captured both afternoon matches to pull ahead by 2 points, match 7 pitted the Spaniard against Taylor Fritz in a high-stakes Saturday showdown. Alcaraz delivered a vital triumph to level the overall score for Team Europe, admitting afterwards that past struggles at the event were lingering in his mind.
“Yes, I mean, two great and tough losses today,” Alcaraz said regarding his team’s earlier setbacks. “And obviously I was thinking a little bit about last year that we lost, you know, every match, you know, on Saturday. So, coming to the match I was trying not to let it happen again. So, I was kind of nervous at the beginning, I’m not going to lie, but really really happy that I took the win at the end.”
He also expressed hope that his singles win would ease the tension for his teammates sitting courtside: “I hope that I just made, you know, my players and the doubles next next to me, you know, a little bit relaxed and not feeling the pressure at all.”
Trusting the drop shot under pressure
With tennis icons Roger Federer and Andy Murray watching from the front row, Alcaraz was asked about his willingness to execute his trademark drop shots even in the most critical moments, whether facing match point down or holding match point himself. The Spanish star explained that the stroke has been second nature for most of his life.
“I feel the drop shot is, you know, part of my camera already and you know I just I’m trying to use it, you know, in my favor,” Alcaraz explained. “I think, you know, the drop shot that I made, you know, in the match I think I won if not, you know, every drop shot at least, you know, a really high percentage of it.”
He continued: “So, you know, in those moments in those really close and important moments I try to use it because it was a really good weapon for me, you know, in this match and obviously I’ve been practicing the drop shot since I was a little kid so it’s part of my game already.”
Enjoying the spectacle and keeping a smile
Beyond his shotmaking, Alcaraz also caught attention during the contest for looking up at the venue’s massive jumbotron to admire replays, both of his own winners and of Fritz’s best strikes. He admitted he simply loves watching quality tennis unfold.
“Sometimes, you know, I just, I mean I love tennis and when sometimes, you know, not even in my match or not even my shots, the opponent shots when he’s a really a great shot or great points I really like to rewatch it. Why not?” Alcaraz smiled. “One of the things that I’m going to take, you know, every tournament is to take off all the screens down there. I’m going to try not to, you know, lose the focus on the matches, you know, rewatching the points. But anyways, for me it’s great and it is a moment that I can, you know, relax myself and keep going.”
When asked how he consistently manages to smile during moments of severe stress and difficult scorelines, Alcaraz highlighted his underlying philosophy about competing on court.
“Every time that I smile it feels like I’m having fun and I’m relaxed by myself and my body and you know, when that time comes, it’s when I play my best tennis when I’m relaxed, when I’m happy, when I’m enjoying the moment,” Alcaraz said. “I think one of the most important thing is to accept the moment even if it is break one down, break one, you know, or in tie-break. You have to accept that moment and go for it all the time.”
The Spaniard concluded by reminding himself to treat the contest as a sport first: “When I’m just thinking about this tennis match, it is a game and I realize that it is when I’m keep enjoying and pull off my great tennis and my great soul. So, that’s why I just I’m trying to have fun as much as I can.”
Carlos Alcaraz in 2026
Currently the world no.3, Alcaraz played his last match on the 26th of September when he beat world no.10 Taylor Fritz 6-3 4-6 13-11 in the round robin in the Laver Cup (draw).
Currently, during this year Carlos achieved a composed 28-4 match record. Alcaraz has won 2 titles in 2026 at the Australian Open and Doha.
