The Laver Cup is all tied up at 2-2 heading into Saturday, so either Daniil Medvedev or Frances Tiafoe will give his team the lead in the early afternoon. Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton are also taking the court in Berlin.
Carlos Alcaraz (EUR) vs. Ben Shelton (WOR)
In the early stages of his career, Alcaraz has been known to wear out down the stretch of seasons. And who can blame him when he racks up so many wins throughout the spring and summer? This year may be no different, as the third-ranked Spaniard won both the French Open and Wimbledon before taking home the silver medal from the Paris Olympics. Looking spent both mentally and physically, Alcaraz lost in the U.S. Open second round to Botic van de Zandschulp.
What does Alcaraz left in the tank for the Laver Cup? A doubles loss on Friday night does not tell us much, but we will find out a lot more when he faces Shelton in Saturday’s second singles rubber. Shelton is coming down the stretch of a solid but unspectacular 2024 campaign, during which he has compiled a 32-20 record that has him at 20th in the race to Turin. The former NCAA singles champion thrives in team atmospheres and his game works well on indoor hard courts. With Alcaraz vulnerable right now, this is a great opportunity for Shelton.
Pick: Shelton in 2
Daniil Medvedev (EUR) vs. Frances Tiafoe (WOR)
Medvedev and Tiafoe will be squaring off for the seventh time in their careers. The Russian has won all five of their previous main-tour encounters, although Tiafoe at least managed to pick up a win nine years ago during qualifying action on the red clay of Nice. It has been all Medvedev since; in fact, the world No. 5 is 12-1 in total sets at Tiafoe’s expense during his five-match head-to-head winning streak.
As well as Tiafoe is playing at the moment, the skid may continue. You could not fault him if his motivation level dips a bit following a semifinal run at his favorite tournament, the U.S. Open. As for Medvedev, he has some unfinished business going into the fall swing. The 28-year-old certainly hasn’t been bad this season, but at the same time he hasn’t captured a single title. Medvedev generally performs well this time of year, and it will likely show this weekend in Berlin.
Pick: Medvedev in 3
