Six players who could make the difference at the Laver Cup

The Laver Cup always provides tennis fans with entertaining action. A unique tournament where some of the best players in the world go from vicious rivals to supportive teammates overnight as Team Europe and Team World lock horns for the bragging rights.

The 2026 edition will be played out at the O2 in London between September 25-27. Held annually since 2017, it derives from the Ryder Cup in a sense, with the team format lending to the iconic golf tournament.

Six players from Europe clash against six from the rest of the world in a thrilling three-day battle involving a mix of singles and doubles action. The points increase as the days go on, with the team boasting the most by the end of day three, taking home the glory.

On the face of it, the Laver Cup may seem like another exhibition where players compete at 70% before cashing their checks in following the conclusion. That is very much not the case. The solidarity and team spirit on display lends itself to a very popular tournament, but part of that is down to them so desperately wanting to win.

With US Open finalist Ben Shelton withdrawing, Team World has been put on the back foot. This was the case last year, but they would stun Team Europe in San Francisco for a famous win. Can they do the same and make four victories from the last five encounters, or can Team Europe get back to winning ways? Here are six key players that could swing the tie in favour of each team.

He may not be the highest-ranked player in the tournament, but Carlos Alcaraz will be the most vital part of Team Europe when he is on song. There were once questions whether he would be fit enough to participate, let alone in competitive shape. The US Open resoundingly answered both questions as the Spaniard returns to an event he loves.

After not playing since April with a wrist injury, his showings at New York were very impressive. He did not need long to dust off the cobwebs, only stuttering against an impressive Ben Shelton in five sets. That would have been an intriguing tie to see if Alcaraz was ready to get his revenge. We will not know for now. It will be interesting to see how the 23-year-old copes against some of the best players in the world. At his best, no one on Team World really stands too much of a chance. However, he was stunned last year by Taylor Fritz. A warning sign that not everything will go his way.

Debuting three years ago in Berlin, Alcaraz won three of his four matches as Team Europe collected a first title since the emphatic 14-1 win in 2021. His loss against Fritz was his only defeat last time out, winning a singles and two doubles matches, although that time it was not enough for the win. The overall doubt will be how much he can play. Will he be able to play four matches in three days, or do other players need to be subbed in? Time will tell, but every minute Alcaraz is on court. Team Europe's prospects get better.

Alex de Minaur has not been in great form as of late, but his Laver Cup form has been tremendous over the years. The Aussie will hope to rekindle that spark which allowed him to help his team win the 2022 and 2025 editions. It all depends on whether he can stop this rot of results.

After a fast start to the year, it has since gone downhill. Just two quarter-finals at Grand Slam and Masters 1000 level make for grim reading, with his stuttering results causing doubt and a confidence crisis. This is the last thing Team World needs. Since Shelton withdrew, de Minaur is now the highest-ranked player on the team. When at his best he can compete and defeat the very top players, and he has proven that before in the Laver Cup.

He has played five matches in his two prior participants, losing just one doubles match last time out. He will be desperate to continue his 100% winning ratio in terms of triumphs. He has had time to rest and reset following a second round loss at the US Open. While others went deeper in the event and reaped the rewards, they may come into this tournament not as fit and fresh. That is where de Minaur needs to capitalise.

The inform man, Alexander Zverev is a very busy tennis player. After securing his second Grand Slam title of 2026 at the US Open, he has since travelled back to Germany to help his nation out in the Davis Cup. From Germany to Europe, the 29-year-old is relishing the team spirit of these tournaments and will be gassed out by the time he reaches London?

Aside from Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz, Zverev has cemented his name as the best of the rest. Aside from all those semi-final and final defeats to Sinner earlier in the year, he has pounced on the opportunities when they have come forward, specifically at Roland Garros and the recent US Open, which has taken a big burden off his shoulders. Now playing more freely, he can play in the Laver Cup, a serial winner.

The most experienced player on the team, this will be Zverev's seventh appearance. He has won seven of his 11 singles matches and two of his five doubles contests, equating to a 56% win record. Slightly low for someone of his capabilities, but that will surely rise once this tournament comes to an end. The World No.2 is the highest-ranked player in the tournament and will be one of the players to watch.

Doing the opposite of Shelton, Fritz has decided not to participate in the Davis Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic, opting for a return to the Laver Cup. He is the joint-second most experienced player alongside Casper Ruud, set to feature for the sixth time and will provide valuable experience and quality to the ranks of Team World.

Not enjoying his best campaign. Fritz lost in three ATP finals before finally winning the DC Open title at the start of the North American hardcourt swing. Since then, it has not been great. The latest result came in the form of a two-set collapse against now teammate Francisco Cerundolo at the US Open. There may still be some lingering feelings of disappointment, but they can be put to bed with some positive results in the English capital.

Fritz has played in every version since 2019. His doubles ability has not been called upon much; just two times he has played with a win and a loss from those encounters. His singles class has been showcased at the highest level, leaving the court victorious in seven of his 10 contests, including a first-ever win over Alcaraz last year. Similar to de Minaur, his team will be relying on him against the likes of Alcaraz and Zverev once more.

Last year, both Jakub Mensik and Joao Fonseca made their debuts in the Lavery Cup. Mensik held the record for the youngest participant only for it to be broken hours later by Fonseca. While Rafael Jodar will not beat this accolade, he could be a permanent fixture in the event for years to come.

His 2026 season has been nothing short of extraordinary. A Grand Slam quarter-finalist, he has made the last-eight of three Masters 1000 tournaments, including a run to the Canadian Open semi-final right after losing the DC Open final. It is not just his results. The performances he has been producing have been at times of the highest calibre. When not winning, the 20-year-old has proven to have a knack for battling through matches, completing some tremendous comebacks. Abilities that will be most useful for Team Europe.

He will make his debut in the event. This would have been unheard of at the start of the year. The Spanird ended 2025 as the World No.168. Yes, there was a lot of talent waiting to flourish, but not many would have expected it to be unleashed this quickly. No one will fancy taking him on with this another golden opportunity for him to show his worth on the big stage against some of the best players in the world.

Another debutant, this time the American Learner Tien. A much more established player than Jodar this time last year, he has since seen his young rival shoot past him in the ATP rankings, but Tien has made sure not to stay far behind and is already growing a big reputation as one of America's next big talents.

Tien, ranked 13th in the world, is the third highest-ranked player on Team World. This already puts a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Over the year, he has shown to shrug this off magnificently at times. A quarter-final run at the Australian Open set the bar high, with him also reaching the last-four in Montreal. He blew a two-set lead against Karen Khachanov in an attempt to reach another major quarter-final, this time on home soil.

With Shelton and Fritz picking only one of the Davis Cup and Laver Cup, Tien has thrown himself in the deep end with both on his radar. Matches against Jiri Lehecka and Mensik in Prague will be a good test and will give him the experience and even the momentum if he wins them to perform well in London. Whether called upon in singles or doubles, he will surely be a valuable member of a team that go into the event as underdogs.

This time last year, many thought that Team Europe would walk away with the title. That seemed the case after a strong first day. However, after the points racked up, Team World shifted up a gear and produced a brilliant second and third day of action to prevail in fine fashion.

They have every chance of doing the same this time out, but when faced with a team boasting Alcaraz and Zverev in the form they are in, it is a truly daunting and ominous sight. Their top players need to step up to the task at hand.

A slow start will not be doom and gloom by all means. Three days of action will provide plenty of chances with Team Captains Yannick Noah and Andre Agassi knowing the drill by now, ready to hype and motivate their team up.

The Laver Cup may not hold the same rewards as an ATP event or even the Davis Cup. At the end of the day, it is an exhibition, but there is a reason the best players in the world consistently play in it. The pride and glory on the line, along with bragging rights for another year. It is Europe against the World, with action underway in just a week's time.