Talk about flipping the script. Day 2 of the Laver Cup in San Francisco was all about expecting the unexpected, thanks to Team World’s trusted man, who proved his mettle yet again in this event. His heroics came at a time when the blue army needed it the most, trailing 1-3 after Team Europe’s exploits on Friday. However, the red warriors were in charge on Saturday after Francisco Cerundolo provided a scintillating edge. The equation? It appears all the pressure is now on six-time slam winner Carlos Alcaraz who is about to step onto the court to face a formidable American foe in Taylor Fritz.

Cerundolo, playing in his third Laver Cup after appearing in the 2023 and 2024 editions, didn’t disappoint with his performance. In fact, he kept his track record clean with a third overall singles match victory in this tournament. As Team World was trying to level the fight, with points tied at 3-3, the Argentinian bested Team Europe’s Rune in straight sets to take the lead to 5-3. And no one was beaming more than Captain Andre Agassi. He was elated with Cerundolo’s impeccable gameplay. The eight-time slam king reacted, “This guy is the just the rock of Gibraltar right here. I mean, he’s a fighter. He never wavers. It doesn’t matter, he’s bringing what he does. Day in, day out. Point in, point out. And he’s been just unbelievable for this event over the years, and he was great for us today, that’s for sure.”

The scoreline read 6-3, 7-6(5) when Cerundolo was done with Holger Rune. Now, the burden of hope and expectations falls on Alcaraz’s upcoming battle, and why not? He has to win, following Team Europe’s two-straight losses on Day 2, to level the fight again at 5-5. And it will happen only if he beats Fritz in the singles matchup.

But guess what? Pressure and Alcaraz are hand-in-glove as if it means nothing to him. We saw that happen in Paris when he was three championship points down against archrival Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz still managed to make a historic comeback and eventually won the French Open while defending his crown from 2024.

Even when it comes to the Laver Cup, the Spaniard has done something similar on a previous occasion. And guess who his opponent was the last time? None other than his upcoming rival Taylor Fritz.

When Carlos Alcaraz toppled Taylor Fritz and Team World at Laver Cup

Last year’s edition was a rollercoaster ride for Team Europe. On the last day of the event, he was under immense pressure to make a return and claim the trophy for a fifth time. Things were quite similar to how they are now, especially when it comes to what happened on Day 2.

Back then, the blue army was trailing 4-8 in points, going into Day 3, against the red warriors. Although Alcaraz was playing in his maiden Laver Cup campaign, his performance made him seem like a veteran. And pressure? He hardly felt it. The 22-year-old was Team Europe’s saving grace, quite literally.

Firstly, he helped in the doubles category alongside Casper Ruud. The pair beat Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe to take the point tally to 7 in comparison to Team World’s 8. Obviously, they were still behind. The situation got worse after Shelton won a singles encounter against Europe’s Daniil Medvedev to extend Team World’s lead to 11-7. However, Alexander Zverev flexed some solid skills and reduced the gap with his singles victory in the next battle against Tiafoe.

Now, the scoreline was 10-11, with Team Europe requiring Alcaraz in the final clash to outshine Fritz. And the six-time slam champion didn’t disappoint. He thrashed the American in straight sets, with a scoreline of 6-2, 7-5 to provide a winning lead of 13-11 to Team Europe. The Spaniard took his team to victory from the brink of defeat.

It was a special moment for him. “After Sascha’s match, he did a really good job. It was time for me to do my job,” he confessed. Now the question remains: will Alcaraz replicate a similar performance against Fritz on Day 2 to help Team Europe stay afloat? Only time will tell.

Update: Carlos Alcaraz stands defeated by Taylor Fritz in their singles matchup for the Laver Cup.