When You’re Stupid, It Helps

Alexander Zverev shares US Open mind-set with Carlos Alcaraz.

Richard PagliaroSeptember 22, 20261 minute learn

By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Picture credit score: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX

Carlos Alcaraz just isn’t solely a seven-time Grand Slam champion, he’s an enormous tennis fan.

The 2-time US Open champion watched Alexander Zverev defeat Ben Shelton to seize his maiden US Open championship earlier this month.

On championship level, Zverev, who confessed he forgot the rating, didn’t initially understand he’d gained the US Open title.

Alcaraz, who out-dueled Zverev in an Australian Open traditional in January, requested the previous gold-medal champion his mind-set throughout apply at Laver Cup in London this week.

After greeting Zverev with a hug, Alcaraz requested: “Inform me, what have been you considering [in the US Open final]?”

“Utterly nothing in my head, that is what helps,” Zverev replied. “Once you’re silly, it helps.”

“I believed it was 4-1 after which I used to be not nervous, you already know?” Zverev mentioned. “If it’s 5-2, I used to be so nervous for certain.”

“Yeah, precisely,” Alcaraz replied.

Alcaraz and Zverev are teammates on Group Europe for this weekend’s Laver Cup on the O2 Area in Londson.