This year marked Carlos Alcaraz‘s debut at the Laver Cup, and Andy Roddick saw something special in him.
Despite how he played, Alcaraz led his team to victory by winning two singles matches and a crucial doubles match with Casper Ruud.
Their doubles win was unexpected since they were underdogs against Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇸 Carlos Alcaraz | 21 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
Roddick’s Impressions:
Roddick noted that Alcaraz had an amazing summer with wins at Roland Garros and Wimbledon but then faced a surprising loss at the US Open. This event was a chance for him to regain his form, which he did brilliantly.
“I think this was an important weekend for Carlos Alcaraz. Massive summer, one of the craziest losses I’ve seen just based on build up in Olympics and two slams and the whole thing, young guy.”
“Alcaraz losing to van de Zandschulp in straight sets, like on a score line that’s as lopsided as he’s ever been a part of.”
“Then quickly re-establish at the Laver Cup that I’m the best player in this building full of earth’s best players, right? And coming through at the end and also the way that the other players like very, very like easily. We’re like, oh yeah, he’s the best player here.”
Roddick admired how other players seemed to accept Alcaraz as if he were already one of tennis’s greats.
Fans might think this is just another step towards greatness for Alcaraz.
It’s not surprising because few have such presence; walking into a room filled with top players and becoming their leader is rare.
Alcaraz showed qualities similar to Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer – those Big Three vibes.
“It was kind of like… it’s what we saw with the big three. Now they’re discussing Carlos in that same light; he proved them right despite a little speed bump at the US Open.”
Such high praise from Roddick means a lot since he competed against these legends before retiring. Alcaraz aims to be legendary too and is following their path closely.
His performance at Laver Cup hints at a strong finish for this year which will boost his legacy even more.
What do you think about his journey so far?
