Laver Cup 2024: Carlos Alcaraz vs Taylor Fritz preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Carlos Alcaraz vs Taylor Fritz
Date: Sunday, September 22, 2024
Tournament: Laver Cup 2024
Venue: Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $2,250,000
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport | Canada - TSN | India - Sony | Australia - Stan Sport
Carlos Alcaraz vs Taylor Fritz preview
Carlos Alcaraz will square off against Taylor Fritz in the final match of the 2024 Laver Cup on Sunday, September 22, which can arguably decide the fate of the cup and who earns the bragging rights for this year.
Alcaraz entered the Laver Cup with a match record of 41-9 for the year, along with titles in Paris, Wimbledon, and Indian Wells. Despite a disappointing North American hardcourt swing, the Spaniard looks to have bounced back while on Davis Cup duty and in Berlin so far.
Making his debut at the event, Alcaraz kicked off his campaign on the opening day in doubles action alongside arch-rival Alexander Zverev. They lost in straight sets, 7-6 (5), 6-4, to the American duo of Fritz and Ben Shelton. Alcaraz then got his first win on day two against Shelton in the singles, sealing a 6-4, 6-4 win.
Fritz, meanwhile, entered Berlin with an impressive match record of 44-17 this year, along with titles in Delray Beach and Eastbourne. He played some of the best tennis of his career during the North American hardcourt swing, culminating in his first Grand Slam final appearance at the US Open.
Fritz kicked off his 2024 Laver Cup campaign on day one in doubles action alongside Shelton, where they triumphed over Alcaraz and Zverev. He followed that up with a straight-sets victory against Zverev in singles yesterday, winning 6-4, 7-5.
Fritz, unlike Alcaraz, has participated in the Laver Cup before and holds a 4-1 singles record at the event, having made his debut in 2019. He has defeated the likes of Andrey Rublev, Dominic Thiem, and Cameron Norrie, with his only loss coming against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Taylor Fritz head-to-head
Carlos Alcaraz leads Taylor Fritz 1-0 in their head-to-head, having won their only previous encounter 6-4, 6-2 in Miami last year.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Taylor Fritz odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Carlos Alcaraz vs Taylor Fritz prediction
Carlos Alcaraz looked in great form in his singles opener on day 2, surviving a brutal push from Shelton. He was exceptional on serve, winning 78% of points behind his first serve and not being broken even once. He will, however, want to improve his return game a little, especially his break point conversion rate.
Fritz, meanwhile, carried his strong form from the tour into his first match, dominating from the baseline as he has for much of the year. He was excellent on serve, winning 87% of points on his first serve and hitting eight aces. His mental toughness was key, helping him outplay Zverev in the crucial moments.
Alcaraz and Fritz have faced off just once in the past with Alcaraz easily coming out on top on that occasion on the hard courts in Miami.
The faster courts inside the Uber Arena will likely benefit both players equally, though it may slightly favor Alcaraz due to his superior indoor record.
With so much at stake, both players will aim to perform at their best in what could determine the outcome of the 2024 Laver Cup. Alcaraz's big-match experience and proven track record in decisive contests could give him the edge in this matchup.
Pick: Alcaraz in three sets.