Roger Federer to apologise to Carlos Alcaraz at Laver Cup after snub of Spaniard
Team Europe are looking to bounce back in Berlin after being hammered 13-2 by Team World in Vancouver last year.
Captained by Bjorn Borg, the hosts will field a formidable line-up, headed by four time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz.
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At just 21, Alcaraz has already been billed as a future all-time great, expected to challenge Novak Djokovic’s current record haul of 24 Slam wins. But it seems Federer, 43, wasn’t so appreciative of the Spaniard’s talent when the pair met at Wimbledon several years ago.
“I barely know Carlos Alcaraz so I’m really excited to see him play for the very first time,” he explained on Tuesday. “I only practiced once with him at Wimbledon when he was still a junior.
“And then the next day, my coach said, ‘Do you want to warm up with him again?’ and I said, ‘No, it’s okay, I’d rather warm up with his coach, who was my generation, Juan Carlos Ferrero.’ I can apologise to Carlos this week.”
Alcaraz has since come across like a man keen to show Federer why he was wrong to snub him. Despite a gruelling season that has seen retain his title at SW19 and win a maiden French Open crown, he’s previously vowed to give his all to the team competition.
“I am excited to be part of the European team in this Laver Cup,” he said. “I have watched this event several times, so I am looking forward to it. I have always seen a great atmosphere on television, with coaching, supporting each other in every match, it is very fun. Additionally, I believe we have a great team that can brin
g back the title.”
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