San Francisco (United States) (AFP) – World number one Carlos Alcaraz says he’s rested and recharged after his US Open triumph and looking forward to contributing to Team Europe’s bid to retain the Laver Cup. The Spaniard will ease into the competition between Team Europe and Team World when he anchors the Friday night session playing doubles alongside Czech Jakub Mensik against a Team World US duo of Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen. “I have battery enough just to pull off good things here in the Laver Cup,” Alcaraz said.
And Team Europe were off to a quick start thanks to victories for Casper Ruud and Mensik in the first two singles matches at Chase Center, home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. Norway’s Ruud got Europe off the mark with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over big-serving American Reilly Opelka. Ruud claimed his fifth victory in as many matches against Opelka and took his Laver Cup singles record to 4-1. “I was in the same position last year and lost the opening match so it’s good to get some revenge and begin strong for Europe,” Ruud said.
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Mensik then survived a late hiccup to beat Michelsen 6-1, 6-7 (3/7) 10-8. The Czech was broken as he served for the match in the ninth game of the second set. But after dropping the second-set tiebreaker, he regrouped to win the 10-point match tiebreaker. That meant Laver Cup newcomer Joao Fonseca of Brazil would be chasing Team World’s first point when he faced Italian Flavio Cobolli in the night session opener. At 19, Fonseca will be the youngest player to compete in the Laver Cup.
Europe have won five of the first seven editions, although Team World triumphed the last time the competition co-created by Swiss great Roger Federer was held in North America, in Vancouver in 2023. There have been a few changes since Alcaraz sealed Europe’s win in Berlin last year. France’s Yannick Noah has taken over from Bjorn Borg as captain of Team Europe while American Andre Agassi is the new captain of Team World, succeeding John McEnroe.
Friday’s matches are worth one point apiece. Saturday’s schedule also features three singles and one doubles match, all worth two points apiece. Sunday’s schedule opens with doubles, followed by three singles as required — all worth three points. The first team to reach 13 points claims the cup.
© 2024 AFP
