Occasionally, an athlete will be so widely adored that they'll single-handedly bring millions of new fans to their sport. Tiger Woods in golf; Muhammad Ali in boxing; Michael Jordan in basketball.
And for tennis, Roger Federer.
People all over the world fell in love with the beautiful way he played on the court, and with his style and elegance off it. He took the sport into cities, countries, and - perhaps most important - living rooms that it had never been in before.
Such was his influence that he was able to bring a whole new event to the sport, one that he hoped would become the Ryder Cup of tennis, and with him playing it, the Laver Cup was an instant hit.
However, time waits for no man, and when he tearfully bid farewell to tennis in London's O2 Arena at the 2022 edition of the tournament, oh so many did so with him.
A void was left in the hearts of millions, one that not even the continued greatness of rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic could fill.
Four years on, though, in the same event and same arena, it was clear to see that Carlos Alcaraz could.
Putting on a show
That's not to say he is or ever will be a better player than Nadal or Djokovic. Heck, many argue that even Federer wasn't. But like the Swiss icon, Alcaraz just has a way of playing that is irresistible to anyone who lays eyes on it. And, spending the weekend at the O2 Arena to cover the 2026 Laver Cup for Flashscore, I saw that first-hand.
A few miles west of the O2, thousands of die-hard tennis fans will cross the world and queue for hours to make it to Wimbledon's Centre Court every summer, but lacking history and prestige, the Laver Cup doesn't have that kind of pull. Instead, it attracts a crowd of more casual fans, and a bit of magic is needed to bring things to life.
Indeed, things had been somewhat flat heading into Saturday's evening session. And then Carlos came along.
Helped by a real challenge from opponent Taylor Fritz, the Spaniard's thrilling 6-3, 4-6, 13-11 win over the American felt like the latter stages of a Grand Slam by the end of it; such was the atmosphere. All around the arena, people were jumping out of their seats, putting their hands on their heads and willing Alcaraz on like their lives depended on the two points he was trying to get for Team Europe.
That was largely down to the stunning shotmaking he was producing. Unstoppable forehands, miraculous lobs and sumptuous drop shots, even on the very biggest of points. Even to those in the crowd who had barely watched tennis before, the artistry and audacity were impossible not to appreciate.
Not since Federer, and perhaps never before then, has tennis had someone who can produce elite-level tennis full of so much creativity and flair.
What's more, in his desire to put on a show, Alcaraz is willing to go the extra mile and use more than just his tennis.
More so than Federer ever was, the Spaniard is more than happy to bring the crowd into the game when he feels it'll help him, to pump his supporters up and shut those cheering against him down.
When Fritz took Alcaraz to a deciding tie-break in their clash, an American section of the crowd sparked into life, chanting "USA, USA" after every point that Team World's player won. Rather than ignore it to stay in the zone, Alcaraz responded, raising his arms to call for more from the rest of the arena after saving a match point in stunning fashion.
That's something of a regular thing for him, making the effort to make his matches even more of a spectacle, and he'd even do it when he wasn't playing, whipping up support for his teammates while watching from the sidelines.
When he was on those sidelines and not the court, though, there was noticeably less interest from the crowd. On Sunday, one person even told me that they were hoping Alexander Zverev would fail to seal the title and finish the event in the day's second match because he'd only attended in the hope of watching Alcaraz play the third.
Like many events in tennis and sports in general these days, the Laver Cup used loud music, dramatic videos and strobe lighting to create a big atmosphere and a sense of occasion, but give Alcaraz a racket and the spotlight, and you need not do anything else.
Burning out
Part of Alcaraz's appeal is that he looks like he's having the time of his life, smiling and laughing at his own genius and even occasionally at what his opponent conjures up.
If he starts having less fun, it will become less fun to watch him, and going by his comments throughout the weekend, there's a real danger of that happening.
On the eve of the tournament, he bemoaned the late-night finishes to matches that plagued the US Open, including in his defeat to Ben Shelton.
"It is too much. They are going to have to do something. I'm not saying 3.30 but (even) finishing at 12 is too late already," he said.
"It is a shame a match like this didn't reach a lot of people because they have to go to bed, they have to work in the morning."
A few days later, after dazzling in a doubles match on the opening night of the tournament, he told me how much he wished he had more time in his schedule to play the format.
"100%. I wish I could play more doubles during the whole year," he stated.
"It's tricky. Because of the scale of the singles, how demanding physically and mentally it can be, a single match, I try to make the most of the day I have between matches to rest up and feel better. If I'm playing doubles, I cannot use that day to rest up, and probably I'm going to put my body into a stressed situation."
And then, in the post-tournament press conference, he spoke about how happy it made him to play team events, and rued the fact that the gruelling calendar forces him to choose between playing the Laver Cup or the Davis Cup.
"I'm using this tournament to bring my joy back," he said.
"I love playing. Every time I step on the court, I love it, because I'm doing it with these guys. When it's a team event, it's totally different. You're not playing for yourself; you're playing for your teammates as well.
"I love to be a part of it, and it makes me find my joy when I'm playing. It helps me a lot to find my great tennis."
Clearly, he's not enjoying himself on the tour as much as he could, and you can't help but worry about that dimming his light on the court.
He must be protected
The non-stop schedule threatens far more than just his happiness, too.
The Laver Cup was just the second event that he's played since April, with the wrist injury keeping the Spaniard out of action from then until the end of August.
His heavy workload undoubtedly played a part in that, and he also expressed concerns at the Laver Cup about the heavier balls being used on the tour; he's one of many who feel they're causing physical issues for players.
Just how damaging it is to the sport when he's not able to play it requires no explanation, and right now, not enough is being done to ensure that injuries don't prevent him from doing so. That needs to change.
In Alcaraz, tennis has been given a generational talent. And not just someone who plays incredible tennis, but someone who plays it in such a way that people will be drawn to the sport just to watch him at work.
They shouldn't make significant changes just to appease him, but given that those changes - a reduced calendar and an end to late-night matches, for instance - are wanted by numerous other players and fans, it becomes a no-brainer to give him what he wants.
It can't be emphasised enough just how much better a place - and a product - tennis is with a healthy and happy Carlos Alcaraz.
