Laver Cup
Fritz stuns Alcaraz on perfect Laver Cup day for Team World
De Minaur/Michelsen complete Saturday sweep with doubles win; Team World leads 9-3
September 21, 2025
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for Laver Cup
Taylor Fritz has the highest PIF ATP Ranking on Team World at No. 5.
By Arthur Kapetanakis
Taylor Fritz earned his first Lexus ATP Head2Head win in four tries against Carlos Alcaraz — and his first victory against a reigning No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings — to extend a perfect Saturday for Team World at Laver Cup.
In a 6-3, 6-2 stunner, the American imposed his powerful game on the new world No. 1, dictating from the baseline at every opportunity and putting constant pressure on the Spaniard from the frontcourt. Fritz won 16 of 20 net points and fittingly closed the match with a forehand volley winner, looking more like vice captain Patrick Rafter than delighted captain Andre Agassi.
“We’ve been talking all day. It’s been an honour to play under Andre,” Fritz said post-match. “Both of us love to share our thoughts about the game. I knew what I had to do out here tonight. The question was if I was going to be able to do it.”
Buoyed by the San Francisco crowd, which let out a roar when Golden State Warriors’ star Stephen Curry walked onto the court with Roger Federer for the coin toss, Fritz kept the volume up in Chase Center by taking the match to Alcaraz. He saved the only two break points he faced, both in the opening game, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and rattled off the final four games of the match for a famous victory.
“The three times I had played Carlos, he had broken me in the first game every time,” the American added. “Getting out of that first game was huge. I just made sure I didn’t second guess myself.”
In their most recent meeting, Alcaraz won a tight four-setter this July in the Wimbledon semi-finals. Prior to that, the Spaniard won in straight sets at last year’s Laver Cup in Berlin.
Fritz’s win staked his team a 7-3 advantage in the first-to-13 event, with each Saturday match counting for two points. Earlier in the day, Alex de Minaur beat Alexander Zverev and Francisco Cerundolo edged Holger Rune.
Alcaraz was playing his first singles match since winning his sixth Grand Slam singles title at the US Open and returning to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The defeat snapped a 13-match winning streak that dated back to the start of his trophy run at the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 event.
Alex de Minaur and Alex Michelsen completed the Saturday sweep for Team World with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Holger Rune and Casper Ruud, stretching the lead to 9-3. All four of Team World’s wins on the day came in straight sets. With Sunday’s four matches worth three points apiece, Team World needs just two more wins to take back the Laver Cup.
Michelsen flashed his doubles skills alongside Fritz on Friday, but the Americans were beaten by Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik. Michelsen made no mistake on his second opportunity, with him and Australia’s De Minaur not facing a break point.