Carlos Alcaraz Says Overcrowded Tennis Calendar ‘Going to Kill Us’ at Laver Cup

Spanish tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz had a 2024 to remember—winning the French Open and Wimbledon singles titles in addition to an Olympic silver medal.

However, he appeared to fade a bit as the season wore on. He pulled out of the National Bank Open in Montreal, lost in the first round of the Cincinnati Open, and lost in the second round of the U.S. Open.

After topping Ben Shelton of the United States 6–4, 6–4 at the Laver Cup in Berlin Saturday, Alcaraz took aim at tennis’s crowded modern calendar.

“Probably they are going to kill us in some way,” Alcaraz said via the BBC. “Right now a lot of good players are going to miss a lot of tournaments because of (injury).”

Alcaraz has played in 14 tournaments in ’24. Despite his stated fatigue, he remains the No. 3 player in the world.

“Sometimes, you don’t want to go to a tournament,” Alcaraz said. “I’m not going to lie—I have felt this way a few times already… but as I’ve said many, many times, I play my best tennis when I smile and enjoy it on court. That’s the best option to keep motivating (myself).”