Carlos Alcaraz Sends 4-Word Message to Eugenie Bouchard After Stunning Taylor Fritz at Laver Cup
Fresh off a hard-fought doubles victory alongside Jakub Mensik that helped Team Europe surge to a 3-1 lead on Day 1 of the Laver Cup in San Francisco, Carlos Alcaraz wasted no time celebrating—by dropping a cheeky four-word message to retired tennis star Eugenie Bouchard on social media. The exchange, sparked by Alcaraz’s viral Alcatraz Island visit earlier this week, has fans buzzing about the World No. 1’s off-court charm, blending his on-court dominance with effortless banter.
The Win: Alcaraz and Mensik Stun Fritz and Michelsen
Alcaraz, making his first competitive appearance since clinching his second US Open title earlier this month, teamed up with 20-year-old Czech rising star Jakub Mensik for a crucial doubles opener against Team World’s Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen. In a tense affair at the Chase Center, the European duo edged a 7-6(9-7), 6-4 victory, not facing a single break point while showcasing pinpoint net play and baseline firepower. Alcaraz’s deft volleys and Mensik’s booming serves proved too much for the Americans, who struggled to convert on return despite Fritz’s home-crowd energy.
The win marked Europe’s third point of the night, following Casper Ruud’s straight-sets singles triumph over Ben Shelton and Holger Rune’s gritty battle against Alex de Minaur. Team World salvaged a point in the earlier doubles, but Alcaraz’s contribution—his first Laver Cup doubles since 2024—underscored his versatility under new captain Yannick Noah. “We played solid,” Alcaraz said post-match, flashing his trademark grin. “Jakub was unreal—those serves! Now, onto singles tomorrow.”
The result positions Europe strongly heading into Day 2, where points double in value. Alcaraz faces Fritz in a blockbuster singles matchup early Sunday (4 a.m. ET), a rematch of their 2024 decider where the Spaniard sealed Europe’s fifth straight title.
The Message: “Ha llegado el momento” – The Time Has Come
Amid the on-court euphoria, Alcaraz turned to X (formerly Twitter) for a lighthearted detour, responding to Bouchard’s playful jab about his Alcatraz tour. The retired Canadian, who hung up her racket this summer after a storied career including a 2014 Wimbledon final, had reshared Alcaraz’s Alcatraz photos with the teasing caption: “I waited so long for this.” The quip riffed on the inescapable pun—Alcaraz’s surname evoking the prison’s notorious “inescapable” reputation—drawing laughs from fans and fellow players alike.
Not one to miss a beat, Alcaraz fired back with a cryptic four-word zinger in Spanish: **”Ha llegado el momento”** (“The time has come”). The reply, posted just minutes after his doubles win, exploded across social media, amassing over 500,000 views in hours. Bouchard, now a top-20 pickleball pro and Laver Cup attendee, reshared it with laughing emojis, fueling speculation about everything from a potential exhibition to inside jokes from their shared tennis circles.
The banter traces back to Bouchard’s earlier US Open prediction wizardry, where she nailed Alcaraz’s final win over Jannik Sinner based on his “locked-in” warm-up routine. Their exchanges highlight Alcaraz’s magnetic off-court persona, a blend of humility and humor that’s endeared him to peers like Bouchard, who attended Friday’s opener in style.
Why It Matters: Alcaraz’s Dual Dominance
At 21, Alcaraz isn’t just rewriting the record books—four Slams, World No. 1 for 100+ weeks—he’s mastering the art of the viral moment. His Alcatraz jaunt, complete with dramatic selfies amid the foggy Bay, was pure gold for engagement, but tying it to a post-win nod to Bouchard? Chef’s kiss. As Team Europe eyes a sixth consecutive Laver Cup under Noah’s guidance (with Andre Agassi captaining a revamped Team World), Alcaraz’s levity contrasts his intensity on court.
Fans on X are loving it: “Carlitos dropping bars AND aces? Unbeatable,” one post read, while another speculated, “Genie and Carlos collab when?” Bouchard, ever the social butterfly, replied to a fan query with: “He’s got jokes for days 😂.”
With Fritz looming in singles—a player who’s beaten Alcaraz twice this year—the Spaniard joked in press: “Taylor’s tough, but after Alcatraz? Nothing scares me.” If his message to Bouchard is any indication, expect more fireworks—on and off the court.
