Joao Fonseca never saw Andre Agassi in his prime, born just 12 days before the legend retired at the 2006 US Open. “We were actually joking about this because he told me, ‘I retired in 2006,’” Fonseca laughed after his dazzling Laver Cup debut, where he stormed past Flavio Cobolli to put Team World on the board after Europe’s early stranglehold. But as Day 3 roars to life, Fonseca is nowhere in the lineup. The decision? Not random at all. Taylor Fritz has finally pulled back the curtain, revealing the fierce reasoning behind Agassi’s choice to sideline the young Brazilian.

As Day 3 battles rage, a fan’s tweet drops the truth bomb on Joao Fonseca’s absence. “Interesting. Taylor Fritz says Agassi left it to the team to set today’s #LaverCup lineup for Team World. He added there were a few different directions they could go. Ultimately they decided no Fonseca. So if the fans have a problem with it, take it up with the players 😆” And just like that, the mystery unravels, this was no captain’s call but a players’ pact, a collective gamble that shapes the war on the final day.

The decision to bench Joao Fonseca now looms larger as Day 3 unfolds under the bright lights of San Francisco. Team Europe clawed back hope early in the evening, when Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud outgunned Reilly Opelka and Alex Michelsen 7-6, 6-1, keeping the fight alive and igniting the blue bench.

But Team World struck back with Alex de Minaur, who delivered yet another dagger. The Australian battled past Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-4, proving once more why he thrives in these high-pressure moments. With that win, Team World stood just one point from sealing the Cup.

Europe, though, refused to fold. Carlos Alcaraz, burning with fire, thrashed Francisco Cerundolo 6-2, 6-1, turning the momentum yet again. His dominant performance stemmed the red surge and cut the deficit to 9-12, setting up a thunderous finale.

And now, all eyes fall on Alexander Zverev. Europe’s perennial closer faces Taylor Fritz in a blockbuster Match 12. If Zverev topples Fritz, history will be made: the scoreboard would lock at 12–12 for the first time ever, triggering a one-set, winner-takes-all decider.

The tension is electric. Any duo could take the court for that final clash, promising an unforgettable finish. Fittingly, Fritz has been here before, revealing team tactics in the past, including how he crafted his master plan to take down Alcaraz earlier in this very event.

Taylor Fritz reveals his strategy to defeat Carlos Alcaraz

How does it feel to be the first American to win a singles match at the Laver Cup on home soil? Ask Taylor Fritz, who claimed arguably the biggest victory of his career. Despite losing to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets at this year’s Wimbledon semifinals, Fritz turned the tables in San Francisco. In just an hour and 11 minutes, he toppled the two-time US Open champion with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 win on Day 2. Before this clash, Alcaraz led their head-to-head 3-0, a streak Fritz was determined to break.

So what changed this time? Fritz revealed his secret: “Three times I have played Carlos, he has broken me every single time. So that’s not how you want to start against someone like him. So, getting out of that first game was huge and then just playing a lot of big points with conviction.” From the first serve to the last, Fritz showcased a fearless edge that turned the match in his favor.

“I didn’t second guess myself, I didn’t play too safe, I played with no fear on a lot of the big points,” he added, highlighting his mindset shift. This wasn’t just a victory on the scoreboard; it was a statement. Fritz proved he could rise to the occasion against one of the toughest competitors in the world, taking ownership of every critical moment.

Yet, it wasn’t only the result that thrilled him. “It’s the level. It’s taking advantage of those big moments, pulling the trigger, just going out and taking it. I’m hoping this can be a sign of things to come,” he said. From start to finish, Fritz felt he earned every point, every rally. “I think I take almost more pride in this one because I feel like, start to finish, I won it, I earned it.”

Now, all eyes turn to Fritz as he faces Alexander Zverev in a decisive showdown. The pressure is monumental, the stakes historic. Can Fritz summon the same fearlessness and outplay the German to carry Team World to glory? 

The answer rests entirely on his shoulders, and the stage couldn’t be bigger.