SAN FRANCISCO — It turns out Carlos Alcaraz is still beatable by someone not named Jannik Sinner.
Taylor Fritz notched one of his most notable wins of the season Saturday night in San Francisco, blasting past the six-time Grand Slam champion 6-3, 6-2 at the Laver Cup, the team competition based on golf’s Ryder Cup.
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With Stephen Curry, Roger Federer and more than 17,000 fans packing the Chase Center for the world No. 1’s first singles match since the U.S. Open, Fritz stole the show with a complete performance.
Alcaraz, silver buzz cut and all, had no answers for Fritz, the home-state hero who played a nearly flawless match. Fritz won 57 points to 37 for Alcaraz, who couldn’t get the pinpoint control of his forehand that he’s had through the North American hard-court swing.
Fritz won 80 percent of the points on his first serve and 67 percent of the points on his second serve as he stayed on the baseline and picked off Alcaraz’s returns. Every time Alcaraz came up with one of his highlight-reel moments, like the tweener he hit to win a point early in the second set as he sprinted toward the back wall after a lob, Fritz snuffed out the momentum with another big serve, or even two or three in a row.
“I knew what I had to do before I came out here tonight. The question was if I was going to be able to do it,” Fritz said on the court after the win, his first against Alcaraz in three tries.
The biggest moment may have been holding his serve in the first game. The other three times he played Alcaraz, the Spaniard broke him on his first try.
“I didn’t play it too safe,” Fritz said. “I played with no fear.”
The loss snapped Alcaraz’s 13-match winning streak. He last lost to Sinner in the Wimbledon final more than two months ago.
Fritz’s Team World now has a 7-3 lead over Team Europe after seven matches, with five to play, including Saturday night’s doubles match. The first team to 13 points wins the Laver Cup.
Matches on Sunday, the final day, are worth three points, guaranteeing that both teams have the chance to win. It also guarantees Alcaraz, the biggest star in the sport, a shot at some redemption.
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images for Laver Cup)
