"I have the photo in my room" - Carlos Alcaraz revisits unforgettable first meeting with Roger Federer at Wimbledon after Swiss 'apologizes' for snub
Carlos Alcaraz recently opened up about his memorable training session with Roger Federer at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, sharing he has preserved a keepsake of their first meeting. The Spaniard will have another chance to rub shoulders with Federer at the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin, which commences on Friday, September 20.
Alcaraz is making his Laver Cup debut this year, joining Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov, Alexander Zverev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas as part of Team Europe. They aim to prevent Team World from triumphing at the event for the third year in a row.
The 21-year-old recently joined the Team Europe and Team World contingents at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin for the official photoshoot. While there, the four-time Grand Slam champion spoke to the Spanish media, expressing his eagerness to spend quality time with Roger Federer.
Carlos Alcaraz also reflected on his first meeting with the former World No. 1 at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, emphasizing that he will never forget the "unique" experience of training with the Swiss legend.
"I was training today and Roger was in the gym, but I haven't seen him. I hope to see him in the next few days. I remember Wimbledon training as if it were yesterday. I will never forget it. It was a unique moment," Carlos Alcaraz said (via Marca). "I will never forget the first time I met Federer, I have the photo in my room."
However, Federer shared a different perspective regarding that practice session at the grasscourt Major. Speaking to the press ahead of the Laver Cup, the 43-year-old admitted that he wasn't well acquainted with Alcaraz and expressed his excitement to watch him in action for the first time.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion also recalled their first meeting, revealing that he had declined the offer to practice with Carlos Alcaraz after their initial training session, preferring to practice with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero instead. Federer humorously remarked that he would apologize to the Spaniard for the snub during the Laver Cup.
"I barely know Carlos Alcaraz so I’m really excited to see him play for the very first time," Federer said.
"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 apologize to Carlos this week," he added.
Carlos Alcaraz on his Laver Cup participation: "It’s a serious competition, we have to represent Europe in the best way possible"
Speaking to the press ahead of the Laver Cup, Carlos Alcaraz expressed his excitement about featuring in the event, calling it a "serious competition." Although he emphasized his aim to secure a victory for Team Europe, the World No. 3 also looked forward to having fun with his teammates.
"I love it and I wanted to be part of it. It’s a serious competition. I think we have to represent Europe, you know, in the best way possible. The prestige that this tournament has, and, being a Laver Cup champion is a huge thing. We are going to laugh a lot, I’m sure about it," Carlos Alcaraz said.
Alcaraz also shed light on the significance of playing under the guidance of Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg, disclosing that his father was a big fan of the "legend."
"A legend from tennis and from the sport in general. My dad is a huge fan of him as well. So being, you know, a coach from Bjorn Borg is going to be a really important moment for me, for my career, for my life," he said.
Carlos Alcaraz and Team Europe face a formidable challenge as they strive to take down the two-time defending champions, with Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Alejandro Tabilo, Francisco Cerundolo, and Thanasi Kokkinakis representing Team World.