Former US Open champion Andy Roddick has lauded Carlos Alcaraz for his dominant display at the recently concluded Laver Cup. Roddick noted that the tennis boffins are discussing Alcaraz in the same light as the Big 3 (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic) and the youngster is proving them right.
Alcaraz won the Laver Cup with Team Europe after he defeated Team World No.1 Taylor Fritz by 6-2, 7-5 on Sunday.
The Spaniard won a total of eight points in the team tournament, which is a record for the most points earned by a single player at one edition of the event.
Alcaraz was delighted to win the deciding match against the American after Alexander Zverev won his match against Frances Tiafoe. The Spaniard also teamed up with Casper Ruud and registered a win against Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton in the doubles event. Earlier, the four-time Major champion bested Ben Shelton by 6-4, 6-4.
Before the Laver Cup, Alcaraz was stunned by van de Zandschulp in straight sets in the second round of the US Open.
“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,” Roddick said on Served with Andy Roddick podcast.
“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, 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.”
“It was kind of like, you know, it’s the thing that we saw with the big three and now they’re discussing Carlos in that, that same light and he kind of proved them right. And was like, hey, there’s a little speed bump at the US Open but, you know.”
Alcaraz will be in action in the China Open, set to get underway from September 26.
