Alcaraz leads Europe in Laver Cup title defense team lineup
The Laver Cup 2023 is set to light up San Francisco's Chase Arena, as the world's top tennis players prepare to battle it out in this prestigious team competition.
Team World, captained by Andre Agassi, will field a strong roster, including Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Alex Michelsen, Joao Fonseca, Francisco Cerundolo, and Reilly Opelka. Notably, Team World won the competition the last time it was held in North America, in Vancouver in 2019.
However, Team World will be missing some key players, with Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe not making the cut. This could potentially give an edge to Team Europe, who are defending their title from last year's win in Berlin.
Yannick Noah leads Team Europe, replacing Bjorn Borg as captain. The European team includes Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Jakub Mensik, Flavio Cobolli, and a special debutant - Carlos Alcaraz, the current world No. 1 and fresh from his US Open triumph.
Carlos Alcaraz has made headlines with his new platinum hairdo, a celebration of his US Open victory. On the court, he will make his Laver Cup debut in the evening's closing doubles, partnering with Jakub Mensik.
The youngest player at the Laver Cup 2023 is Joao Fonseca, who will be making history as the youngest player ever to compete in the Laver Cup at the age of 19. Fonseca, who hails from Brazil, has expressed his star-struck feelings upon meeting his idol, Roger Federer, this week.
In the opening match of the night session on Friday, Fonseca will face Flavio Cobolli. Casper Ruud, who is undefeated against Opelka (4-0), will start the competition against Opelka. Ruud, who won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Madrid this year, hopes to give Team Europe a good start and provide them with momentum.
The matches on Saturday and Sunday are worth double and triple points, respectively, with the first team to reach 13 points claiming the cup. Each match on Friday is worth one point.
The Laver Cup promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with the world's best tennis players showcasing their skills and competing for glory. Don't miss out on the action!
