Key Takeaways
- Andy Murray declared that “when everyone’s fit and healthy, I would say that Alcaraz is the best player” while watching the Laver Cup at The O2.
- Carlos Alcaraz voiced his happiness at the compliment from “such a legend”, adding that Murray’s enjoyment of his style “means I just have great tennis.”
- Alexander Zverev trails world number 1 Jannik Sinner by 1,810 points with a major opportunity to battle for the top ranking before the season ends.
Andy Murray picks Carlos Alcaraz as tennis’s premier star
Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray attended the Laver Cup at The O2 in London as a spectator, where he offered glowing praise for Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz. When asked to evaluate the very top of men’s tennis, the former world number 1 weighed the current landscape carefully before selecting the young Spaniard.
“I think you have to answer that when everyone’s healthy,” Murray explained. “I mean, my opinion is that the Alcaraz is the best player. But on any given day, those guys can… [Jannik] Sinner’s beaten Alcaraz multiple times as well. [Alexander] Zverev’s won two Slams this year. He’s had an unbelievable year. But yeah, I think that when everyone’s fit and healthy, I would say that Alcaraz is the best player.”
Murray also admitted to an aesthetic appreciation of Alcaraz’s approach to the sport. “But we all have our biases though,” the Scot added. “I just love watching him play. I think he’s a great personality, great character. I love his game style. He can hit every single shot. He’s got a smile on his face when he’s playing, and I love watching Carlos, so I’m going to go with him.”
Carlos Alcaraz reacts to praise from British legend
Competing for Team Europe, Alcaraz has taken part across the first 2 days of action, pairing with Jakub Mensik to win in doubles before securing a singles victory over Taylor Fritz. Ahead of his day 3 singles showdown against Alex de Minaur and a potential doubles appearance, Alcaraz was told about Murray’s comments.
“He’s a nice guy,” Alcaraz said of Murray. “To be honest, I didn’t expect having him in the stands watching. When I saw him I was really, really happy. A really long time that I haven’t seen him around. And obviously hearing those things from him, such a legend for me, makes me happy.”
The Spaniard treasured the endorsement from an experienced champion who understands the intricacies of the tour. “Someone who understands tennis like him, saying that he loves watching me play. I think it’s fantastic and that means I just have great tennis,” Alcaraz stated. “So hopefully see him around soon. But yeah, just really happy about it.”
Current ATP standings and the fight for year-end supremacy
Murray’s assessment comes amid an injury-interrupted campaign for several of the sport’s leading figures. Alcaraz won the Australian Open but missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon because of injury. Jannik Sinner triumphed at Wimbledon before being sidelined for the US Open with a knee injury, while Alexander Zverev claimed both the French Open and US Open titles and reached the Wimbledon final.
| Rank | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jannik Sinner | 11,500 |
| 2 | Alexander Zverev | 9,690 |
| 3 | Carlos Alcaraz | 5,560 |
At the end of day 2 at the Laver Cup, Team Europe led Team World 7-5, with 13 points required to claim the trophy. Meanwhile, the battle for year-end world number 1 remains tight. Zverev sits 1,810 points behind Sinner, who has withdrawn from the China Open and has not played since Wimbledon. Sinner is defending 3,550 points before the close of the season compared to Zverev’s 1,080, leaving the top spot in reach for the German star.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2026
Ranked no.3, Carlos played his last match on the 27th of September when he surrendered to world no.4 Ben Shelton 6-7(5) 6-1 6-3 1-6 7-6(7) in the quarter of the U.S. Open (draw).
At present, during this year Alcaraz has managed to achieve a compiled 27-4 match record. The Spaniard clinched 2 titles in 2026 at the Australian Open and Doha.
