Federer Wants To ‘Apologize’ To Alcaraz For Previously Snubbing Him Practice Session
Carlos Alcaraz has openly shared that Roger Federer was his childhood idol, even though they never had the chance to face each other on the tennis court. Federer is set to return to the tennis spotlight at the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin. As one of the key figures behind the event’s creation, Federer has…
Carlos Alcaraz has openly shared that Roger Federer was his childhood idol, even though they never had the chance to face each other on the tennis court.
Federer is set to return to the tennis spotlight at the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin. As one of the key figures behind the event’s creation, Federer has often been present, and this year is no exception.
He recently expressed his excitement about the upcoming edition, noting how the tournament might unfold. Team Europe, led by Carlos Alcaraz, has a strong roster and is aiming to win the event for the first time since 2021. Federer believes Team Europe has a solid chance this year.
“I think Team Europe is very strong this year, it’s stacked. In the singles matches, we are heavy favorites. Even though Team World has great players who are in great form, I still think most of the singles will go Europe’s way. But in doubles, I feel like Team World has the edge,” Federer commented ahead of the Laver Cup.
During his time in Berlin, Federer also mentioned he plans to spend time with Alcaraz. The young Spanish star has often spoken about his admiration for Federer, making this a special opportunity for them to connect. Federer admitted he barely knows Alcaraz and regrets not sharing the court with him more. They only practiced once at Wimbledon, and Federer humorously said he plans to apologize for not practicing with him again.
“I barely know Carlos Alcaraz, so I’m really excited to see him play for the first time. We practiced once at Wimbledon when he was still a junior. The next day, my coach asked if I wanted to warm up with him again, and I said, ‘No, I’d rather warm up with his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, who was from my generation.’ I guess I owe Carlos an apology this week!” Federer joked.
As the Laver Cup enters its seventh year, Federer reflected on the uncertainty that surrounded the event’s inception. He wasn’t sure if the concept would succeed, but seeing it become such a successful event has been rewarding.
“There was a lot of uncertainty at the start — would everything go according to plan? Would people come? Did they like the format? Were the players going to show up? As both a player and an organizer, it was quite a journey,” Federer reminisced about the early days of the Laver Cup.