There was plenty of chemistry on Team Europe’s practice court at the Laver Cup in London on Thursday as Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev shared a light-hearted moment, with the German playfully getting involved with Alcaraz’s relatively new longer locks.
The pair may have been enjoying some pre-tournament banter, but there is a serious job ahead at The O2 from Friday, with Team Europe determined to reclaim the trophy after Team World’s triumph in San Francisco last year. Alcaraz knows what it takes to deliver on the biggest stages and the 23-year-old is relishing the chance to do it alongside some of the best players in the sport.
“Being able to come back here to the Laver Cup with these guys, I would say it's even better,” Alcaraz said when asked about Team Europe’s chances of avenging their 2025 defeat. “I will try to do my best and try to fight for the team as best as I can. That's why this event is unique because I'm usually fighting [on my own] during the whole year, and then having them as a coaches, it's great.
“I always say that you can see the matches and the tennis much better from outside. So when they approach me and tell me some things, I will try to try to obey and do whatever.”
Since surging onto the scene in 2022, Alcaraz has established himself as one of the sport’s dominant forces with seven Grand Slam titles and 66 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Yet for all that individual success, Alcaraz was quick to reject the idea that he should be viewed as Team Europe’s leader, insisting that the responsibility belongs to everyone.
“In every team, there has to be a leader,” Alcaraz said. “But I think in this team there is no leader. Everybody is one of the best players in the world, so we all have to go in the same way. We try to help each other in the best way we can. I don’t see myself as a leader, not only in this competition but in any of them. I’m just trying to do my best and help the team as best that I can.”
Zverev, the World No. 2 and a two-time major champion in 2026, was just as emphatic. Making his seventh Laver Cup appearance, the German knows what it takes to win the team competition and believes Team Europe has more than enough experience and firepower to take the trophy back.
“I think we have. We have great champions and teams,” Zverev said. “We all know what it takes to win. For me personally, it was quite a satisfying year. But we're here, the Laver Cup as a team. I think for us, the main goal is to lift the trophy and to bring it back to Europe. And we do it as a team. We do it as a group of players, and hopefully we can achieve that goal.”
If Thursday’s practice session was anything to go by, that togetherness could be one of Team Europe’s biggest weapons. Alcaraz and Zverev were trading jokes and enjoying the lighter moments, and Flavio Cobolli knows only too well how important that energy can be when players come together for a team event.
Cobolli has enjoyed a stunning 2026 campaign, highlighted by his run to the Roland Garros final in June, and the Italian currently sits fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin as he chases a debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals.
“I've changed since two years ago. I started as an alternate and I played last year for the first time,” Cobolli said. “I'm here for the third time in a row and for me it's still a great honour to be back at the Laver Cup with the best players in the world.
“I'm trying to bring my energy to the team. I love to play in team competitions. We're really looking forward to the first match and for the first day.”
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