Pressure on World No. 1 Alcaraz to deliver as Cerundolo hunts another win
Team Europe’s Carlos Alcaraz is set to meet Team World’s Francisco Cerundolo in Match 11 on Day 3 of the Laver Cup 2025. The world No. 1 Spaniard enters looking to rebound after a shock straight-sets defeat to Taylor Fritz on Day 2, though he did open the tournament with a doubles win alongside Jakub Mensik against Alex Michelsen and Fritz. Cerundolo, meanwhile, stunned Holger Rune yesterday in straight sets, including a tense tiebreaker, becoming only the second player ranked outside the top 20 to win a singles match on Day 2/3 at the Laver Cup. The first was Fritz in 2019.
Need for speed 💨#LaverCup pic.twitter.com/1zeLIG7AmR
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 21, 2025
Alcaraz has been an absolute beast this season, capturing seven titles, including Roland Garros and the US Open. The six-time Grand Slam champion is one Australian Open short of completing his career Grand Slam. His run to the US Open crown was highlighted by a semifinal win over Novak Djokovic and a four-set triumph over then-world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the final, reclaiming the top ranking. Statistically, Alcaraz has struck 403 aces, winning 74% of first-serve points, 35% of first-serve return points, and converting 45% of 640 break point opportunities.
Cerundolo beats Holger Rune 6-3 7-6 at the Laver Cup
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 21, 2025
Great match from Francisco.
Hitting awesome forehands all day long and played some clutch tennis in the tiebreak.
He gives Team World the lead over Team Europe 5-3.
🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/7OccxTbLHG
Cerundolo, ranked as high as No. 18 earlier this year, has shown flashes of promise but struggled for consistency. He owns three career titles, with his best 2025 results including a final in Argentina, semifinals in Chile, Munich, Madrid, and Nordea, plus quarterfinal runs in Rio, Indian Wells, and Miami. He’s tallied 177 aces with 69% first-serve points won, 34% on return, and a 44% break conversion rate from 410 opportunities.
Carlos Alcaraz holds a commanding 3-0 lead over Francisco Cerundolo. Their rivalry began on the ATP Tour last year in London, where the Spaniard won in straight sets, and this season, Alcaraz repeated the feat in Indian Wells and Monte Carlo. Across those seven ATP sets, Cerundolo has managed to take just one.
The pair also crossed paths in an ITF event back in the 2019 M15 Palmanova semifinals, where Cerundolo claimed a straight-sets win. While that result shows early potential, the scale of their games has dramatically shifted, with Alcaraz now established as the world No. 1.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Monte-Carlo | Round of 32 | Carlos Alcaraz | 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 |
| 2025 | Indian Wells | Quarterfinal | Carlos Alcaraz | 6-3, 7-6(4) |
| 2024 | London | Round of 32 | Carlos Alcaraz | 6-1, 7-5 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | Category | Francisco Cerundolo |
| 1 | Current Ranking | 21 |
| 270-62 | Career W-L | 135-108 |
| 61-6 | YTD W-L | 33-19 |
| 23 | Career Titles | 3 |
| 6 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 7 | YTD Titles | 0 |
Cerundolo showed grit against Rune, but facing the world No. 1 is a different challenge. Alcaraz’s power, consistency, and confidence after a seven-title season should prove too much.
"I've never seen a player this good, this complete."
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) September 19, 2025
John McEnroe heaps praise on @carlosalcaraz 👑#LaverCup pic.twitter.com/1H8mHwNDv0
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets
Carlos Alcaraz is a heavy favorite at -1200, with Francisco Cerundolo a longshot at +670. The odds reflect the Spaniard’s dominance and near-perfect head-to-head record, making anything but an Alcaraz win a massive upset.
Here are the betting odds according to FanDuel:
Carlos Alcaraz: -1200
Francisco Cerundolo: +670
Here are the odds for total games as well as total sets for both players (sourced via FanDuel):
Set 1 Winner Alcaraz: -700
Set 1 Winner Cerundolo: +460
(According to FanDuel: FanDuel offers exclusive promo codes, bonus deals and accurate odds for users upon signing up. Use FanDuel to ace your betting game in all sports!)
Mandatory Image Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
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mma I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.
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