Carlos Alcaraz Being Asked About Feeling ‘Burnt Out’ at Laver Cup Befuddles Alexander Zverev: “You’ve Had a Four-Month Vacation”

At the Laver Cup, Carlos Alcaraz competed in his second tournament after recovering from his wrist injury that forced him sit out on the sidelines for four months. The first event that he played was the US Open.

He reached the quarterfinals only to lose a five-set thriller to eventual runner-up Ben Shelton. At a press conference there, he complained about the tennis schedule, blaming it for players’ injuries. He revealed his plans to take longer breaks in the future and skip tournaments. When he was asked about those comments at the joint press conference following Team Europe’s win at the Laver Cup, it confused Alexander Zverev.

You feel burnt out? You’ve had a four-month vacation. I played 98 matches since you were gone!

While Alcaraz was nursing his injury, Zverev played four finals, the first of which was at the Madrid Open, which he lost to Jannik Sinner. Then came the French Open. Zverev not only reached the final but ended it in his favor with a five-set win over Flavio Cobolli.

He then got close to completing the rare Channel Slam as he also reached the final of Wimbledon. But Sinner defeated him there as well, also clinching his 10th consecutive win over Sascha. Zverev will end the season with two Grand Slam titles as he also won the US Open by beating Shelton.

When Zverev asked Alcaraz about the burnout question in that press conference, the seven-time Grand Slam champion talked about why, in spite of his complaints about the calendar, he still competed at the Laver Cup.

I am using this tournament to bring my joy back. Every time I step on the court, I just love it. Doing it with these guys in a team event is so different than playing for yourself. I just love to be part of this. It helps me a lot for the next tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz said

Zverev will next be heading toward Beijing for the China Open, while Alcaraz will be in Tokyo for the Japan Open. Both ATP 500 events will kick off on September 30. Alcaraz is the defending champion in Tokyo (beat Taylor Fritz last year).

Carlos Alcaraz on whether he will play the Laver Cup in the future

Carlos Alcaraz participated in the Laver Cup for the third time in his career after making his debut in 2024. He has so far played 10 matches and holds an 8-2 win-loss record, winning 18 points. In singles, he has won four and lost one match, while in doubles, he has won four and lost one match. But it’s uncertain whether Alcaraz will be competing in this tournament in the future.

Every year is different. We don’t know what’s going to happen next year. In the moment, you have to choose. Do you play Laver Cup, Davis Cup, if you have a long run at the US Open. The future is going to decide that. The Davis Cup is now an important goal for me this season. We have a great team. We have a real chance this year.

Carlos Alcaraz said at the press conference

Alcaraz will be aiming to win his third title of the season in Tokyo. Earlier this season, he clinched back-to-back titles at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open by defeating Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fils, respectively.

He also reached the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters but lost the title to arch-rival Jannik Sinner. With that defeat, he was removed from the No.1 ranking by the five-time Grand Slam champion. Alcaraz now sits in third place with 5,060 points, while World No.2 Alexander Zverev and Sinner have 9,630 and 11,000 points, respectively.

Also read: John McEnroe Makes No.1 Ranking Claim About Alexander Zverev After Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s Injury-Hit Season