Carlos Alcaraz states how important the Laver Cup is to him, ‘I love playing’

Team Europe are champions of the world once again, having triumphed on the third day of the Laver Cup.

In the end, it was Alexander Zverev who secured the trophy, snatching it back from Andre Agassi's Rest of the World team.

His win over Learner Tien meant that a third match was not needed on the Sunday, and Carlos Alcaraz was stood down, much to the disappointment of a hopeful crowd in the O2.

In all honesty, the Spaniard was likely relieved to not have to take to the court, given how hard-fought yesterday's win over Taylor Fritz was.

Alcaraz will now seek to rest that wrist after a hectic return to action following five months out, and he spoke at his press conference about how events like the Laver Cup fit into an already-packed schedule that has garnered criticism from him recently.

Carlos Alcaraz claims the Laver Cup brings joy back to his tennis

There's no denying that the 23-year-old is perhaps the most universally liked player tennis has right now.

So, to have gone without him for so long marked a hammer blow for the ATP Tour, particularly given the lack of young marketable stars who stepped up in his absence.

Alas, Alcaraz is back, and with him has come an energy and buzz that has certainly been missing.

His unrivalled joy for the sport is infectious, and responding to a question posed by Tennishead at his Team Europe championship press conference, he reiterated that notion when discussing the schedule and his decision to play the Laver Cup.

Asked about his complaints about the schedule and feeling burnt out, it was Zverev who spoke first, claiming: "You feel burnt out? You had a four-month vacation."

"I know, but you have to speak out sometimes," Alcaraz said with a smile, to which Zverev then joked: "I played 98 matches since you've been gone."

Alcaraz then started: "No, I said it since the beginning of the week. You know, you've got to use everything to your favour, and I'm using, for example, this tournament to bring my joy back. I love playing.

"You know, every time that I step on the court, I love it, because I'm doing with these guys, when it is a team event is totally different, playing for your side, for your teammates, playing for the guys who are supporting you from the bench, from outside. And that's great.

"Obviously having a great captain and co-captain behind you all the time, it's great. This week, as I said, I just really wanted to — I mean, I just love to be part of it and makes me find my joy when I'm playing, help me a lot to find my great tennis when I'm playing out there, and help me a lot to the next tournament.

"So that's what these kind of events brings to me."

Carlos Alcaraz's record vs Alex de Minaur had the Laver Cup wrapped up

Had Tien sparked a successful comeback vs Zverev, or Team Europe lost the doubles, Alcaraz would have been called into action to face De Minaur.

For the Aussie, only survival would have been on the cards, whilst the seven-time Grand Slam champion would have been chasing glory.

Carlos Alcaraz's head-to-head record vs Alex de Minaur

He has form in confidently claiming silverware, and despite recording an impressive win over the new Roland Garros and US Open champion yesterday, Alcaraz would have been a different beast altogether.

It's worth noting that De Minaur has never beaten the generational talent in six attempts.