LONDON — Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points to beat Taylor Fritz 6-3 4-6 13-11 at London's O2 Arena as Team Europe took a 7-5 lead over Team World at the Laver Cup. The world number three and two-time Wimbledon champion, who has struggled with a wrist injury this year, narrowly avoided back-to-back singles defeats for the first time in 18 months in his first singles outing since his late-night quarter-final exit to Ben Shelton at the US Open.
Alcaraz struck 42 winners to Fritz's 20 in front of an audience that included Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Facing match point at 8-9 down in the deciding tie-break, he fired an ace to stay alive and then used a drop shot to save a second match point before converting his third when Fritz failed to retrieve another delicate drop shot. "The drop shot is part of my game," Alcaraz said. "In those really close and important moments, I tried to use it because it was a really good weapon for me in this match." Fritz, whose only previous victory against the Spaniard came during Team World's triumph in last year's competition, kept errors to a minimum but could not hold off the late surge.
Earlier on Saturday, Andre Agassi's Team World had threatened to run away with the tie. Alex de Minaur fought back from a set down to shock Alexander Zverev 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 11-9, while American debutant Learner Tien edged Italy's Flavio Cobolli 6-3 2-6 10-7 to put the holders in a strong position.
Alcaraz's heroics shifted momentum, and Zverev returned to the court alongside Casper Ruud to secure a vital doubles victory. The European pair defeated Alexander Bublik and Brandon Nakashima 6-4 7-6 (9-7) to keep Europe ahead going into the final day.
Match wins are worth three points on Sunday, with the first team to reach 13 points lifting the trophy. Europe are chasing their sixth Laver Cup title while holders Team World are aiming for their third. His appearance follows Yannick Noah feared Carlos Alcaraz would skip Laver Cup amid his wrist issues this season.