"Wrong choices, Casper Ruud is very bad at doubles & Carlos Alcaraz is almost as bad" - Fans baffled by Team Europe's scheduling for Laver Cup Day 3

Team Europe's scheduling choices for the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and others for Day 3 of the 2024 Laver Cup have baffled tennis fans. Team Europe's bid to end their two-year losing streak hasn't gone as planned, with Team World holding an 8-4 lead heading into Day 3.

With all to play for on Sunday, September 22, Alcaraz and Ruud will kick off the day's play against the formidable duo of Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton. Shelton will then return to the court to square off against Daniil Medvedev in the second match.

If Team World has yet to cross the 13-point threshold for victory, Alexander Zverev will take on Tiafoe, followed by a potential must-win battle between Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz.

Given Team Europe's deficit, fans were baffled by the decision to field Casper Ruud in doubles after his and Stefanos Tsitsipas' crushing 6-1, 6-2 loss to Ben Shelton and Alejandro Tabilo.

Fans were also shocked by Alcaraz's inclusion in doubles and questioned why Tsitsipas wasn't in the lineup despite his singles victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis.

"Wrong choices. Carlos Alcaraz & Stefanos Tsitsipas should be the singles match players & make them match 1 & 2. Doubles should be Match 3. American Tony Godsick & On purposely rigged this so Ben Shelton 's Team can win 😭 Ruud is very bad at Doubles & Alcaraz is almost as bad," one fan commented.

"WHY STEFANOS ISNT PLAYING," another fan chimed in.

"Team Europe literally said: let's take the two worst doubles players we have and put them together," a fan argued.

"Why on earth is Casper Rudd playing doubles again!!" said another.

Fans also suggested that Team Europe was "screwed" with their scheduling decisions, arguing that they had made the "worst choices."

"Yeah Europe is screwed. Zverev should def not be playing again, and Ruud in doubles again? C'mon," one fan posted.

"Team Europe keeps making the worst choices. Should have subbed Dimitrov and got Struff to play with Alcaraz. Medvedev against Shelton is also not a good idea, he could s/v him to death. Should have been Zverev vs Shelton, Tsitsipas vs Tiafoe, Alcaraz vs Fritz," another fan wrote.

"Alcaraz & Tsitsipas could have played the doubles. Followed by Alcaraz, Medvedev and Tsitsipas in singles," a fan commented.

"Sorry but this is such a bad lineup from Team Europe," said yet another.

Carlos Alcaraz: "We have to represent Europe in the best way possible, being a Laver Cup champion is huge"

Carlos Alcaraz (Source: Getty)

Carlos Alcaraz will aim to reverse Team Europe's fortunes on Day 3, having emphasized the significance of triumphing at the Laver Cup. Speaking to the press before the event, the 21-year-old expressed his determination to represent Europe in the "best way," describing the tournament as a "serious competition."

"I love it and I wanted to be part of it. It’s a serious competition. I think we have to represent Europe, you know, in the best way possible. The prestige that this tournament has, and, being a Laver Cup champion is a huge thing. We are going to laugh a lot, I’m sure about it," Carlos Alcaraz said.

Following the conclusion of the Laver Cup, Alcaraz will turn his attention to the China Open, being joined by his fellow Team Europe teammates Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov at the ATP 500 event in Beijing.

Meanwhile, other Laver Cup participants like Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Casper Ruud, and Ben Shelton will be in action at the ATP 500 Japan Open in Tokyo.