Carlos Alcaraz was the star of the show at the Laver Cup last weekend, re-establishing himself as one of the best players in the world after a tough US Open campaign.
Heading into that fourth Grand Slam of the season, there was bound to be a little fatigue, having won Roland Garros, Wimbledon and achieved a silver medal at the Olympics.
Worked to the bone, he looked exhausted in New York, and that showed in a shock second-round exit to Botic van de Zandschulp.
However, Stefanos Tsitsipas has clearly not let that hiccup dissuade him from deifying the Spaniard, who he waxed lyrical about following the Laver Cup.
Stefanos Tsitsipas left in awe of Carlos Alcaraz
Chatting with Tennis TV, the Greek tennis star sought to look back on his experience in Berlin, as part of the title-winning Team Europe.
Winning one match and losing the other, he seemed to admit that the camaraderie of the event was far more enjoyable than any of the tennis played.
And, it gave him the chance to get a close-up look at Carlos Alcaraz, the tournament’s MVP.
Tsitsipas admitted: ‘I’m observing Carlos. Seeing him from that angle is so different to just watching him on TV or any other type of competition. I don’t get to get so close and intimate with another high-tier player as him.
‘He is currently one of the best players in the world. He has won two Grand Slams this year. For me, he is an example I really want to follow in his footsteps. To see him live and see what patterns and behaviours and body language he shows on court is definitely something I try and copy and bring into my own game.
‘For me, the Laver Cup is not just a teammate and bonding experience that we have, it’s also like we are constantly figuring it out together. There’s a lot of depth in that, you see things that you usually don’t.’
Carlos Alcaraz is already feared like the Big Three
Throughout recent history, many players have spoken about the psychological battle they had already lost when facing the Big Three in big moments.
And that was before even going out onto the court to play these unstoppable figures.
Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, Roger Federer on grass, Novak Djokovic in New York and beyond.
Now, it seems Alcaraz has that same fear factor which has his opponents terrified before they’ve even started a match with him.
The sheer amount of adulation and respect he commanded across the Laver Cup weekend was testament enough to this, with Tsitsipas just one of many to praise him.
Alexander Zverev even compared Alcaraz to Federer, such is his excellence.
With this mindset clearly polluting the rest of the tour, it’s frightening to imagine just how much better the 21-year-old can become, and thus how much he can win.
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