According to the report, Alcaraz brought up the instant Zverev appeared not to realize he’d actually won the championship point against Ben Shelton, only finding out once the chair umpire made the call. Alcaraz reportedly asked Zverev what was going through his head in that moment, and Zverev credited the blank slate with helping him get over the line, joking that not thinking about the score is what got him through it. Per the report, Zverev explained he believed the score was 4-1 in the fourth set rather than the actual 5-2, and said knowing the real number would have made him far more nervous.
⚡ The moment itself, confirmed: Zverev completed a 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 win over Ben Shelton to capture his second Grand Slam title of the season, adding the US Open to his French Open crown from earlier in the year.
Alcaraz’s Own Road Back
The exchange, as reported, comes off the back of a big US Open for both players in different ways. Alcaraz was making his return after nearly five months out with a wrist injury, and made it through to the quarter-finals before running into Shelton in one of the tournament’s most dramatic matches — a five-set epic that Shelton won 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7), snapping Alcaraz’s 18-match Grand Slam winning streak and ending in the latest finish in US Open history.
⚡ Context on Alcaraz’s comeback: He hadn’t played a competitive match in close to five months before that tournament, after suffering right wrist tenosynovitis earlier in the year.
Team Europe Gearing Up For Laver Cup London
Both Zverev and Alcaraz are part of a Team Europe lineup that has now been finalized for Laver Cup London 2026, running September 25–27 at The O2. Captain Yannick Noah’s six-man squad features World No. 2 Alcaraz, World No. 3 Zverev, Flavio Cobolli, Jakub Menšík, Rafael Jódar and Casper Ruud, with Tim Henman serving as vice-captain.
They’ll face an Andre Agassi-led Team World squad of Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik, Learner Tien and Tommy Paul, with Pat Rafter as vice-captain — Team World’s highest-ranked lineup in the event’s history, and the side defending their title after winning last year’s edition.
⚡ Why it matters: Team World has won three of the last four Laver Cups, and this is the first time the event has returned to a repeat host city, following London’s 2022 edition — which also hosted Roger Federer’s final competitive match.
FAQ
Q: What did Alcaraz reportedly ask Zverev about? A: A moment in the US Open final where Zverev appeared unaware he had won championship point until the umpire confirmed it.
Q: Who is on Team Europe for the 2026 Laver Cup? A: Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Flavio Cobolli, Jakub Menšík, Rafael Jódar and Casper Ruud, captained by Yannick Noah.
Q: Who is on Team World for the 2026 Laver Cup? A: Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik, Learner Tien and Tommy Paul, captained by Andre Agassi.
