Team Europe, this year under the leadership of Yannick Noah, who replaced Bjorn Borg after seven years, the Europe team has brought an excellent start in San Francisco and dominates the game of the first day against Team World with three wins against one.
Really happy with the competition. I was in the same position last year and lost the opening match, so it’s good to take some revenge and start strong for Europe Casper Ruud
In the afternoon session, the visitors stormed a 2-0 lead thanks to Casper Ruud and Jakub Mensik, both of whom won their opening songs in contrasting competitions.
The Norwegian opened the procedure with a 6-4 7-6 (4) victory on the 6’11 ”Reilly Opelka by serving the Big Hitting American for more than 87 minutes, while the young Czech, more than 95 minutes, fought for more than 95 minutes, a strong version of another American, Alex Michelsen to post 6-1 6-7 (3) 10-8 Win.
Ruud threw two breaking points and in fact came on top of the large Opelka serves with his return to dominate the opening game.
“The [goal was] To be in the zone, make many balls, let him play and get Europe good start, “Ruud revealed in his interview on the field.” Really happy with the competition. I was in the same position last year and lost the opening match, so it’s good to take some revenge and start strong for Europe. “
Mensik’s victory was not as comfortable as Michelsen, confronted with a defeat with a straight sets, broke Czech when he served at 5-3 in the second set that he then lost to a tiebreak that hung the match with a competition on the third set.
“Great competition,” said Mensik. “We have known each other since juniors, so we knew a lot about ourselves in the field. With this format, with the Tie-Break competition in the third, it is always difficult for your nerves, but I am glad that I stayed focused until the end and I kept fighting. I am happy to have helped my team to take a point.”
: Joao Fonseca claims the only point of team world of the opening day
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty images for Laver Cup)
It was left to Joao Fonseca in Brazil to stop the European run and he did this with an emphatic version, which showed no nerves as he made his debut in the competition as the youngest participant to play it since the event was launched eight years ago.
It took him 86 minutes to earn the first point of Team World with his 6-4 6-3 victory over Lorenzo Cobolli in Italy, so that the local audience brightened up with his strength and shot that surprised his opponent.
“I think my team helped me a lot, to stay positive during the competition,” said Fonseca, who was born 12 days before the new team world Andre Ahassi retired at the US Open of 2006, Agassi who had taken over John Mcenroe’s Captainincy this year.
“I was a bit more nervous than normal. It is normal. And after I started talking a little more with Andre and the team … I played well in the beginning, but I was still a bit nervous and made a lot of mistakes, but after I got through, I am very happy with that.”
(LR) Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik celebrate after beating Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen in the last game of the day
(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty images for Laver Cup)
The celebrations were filled in in the next and final game of the day, the Doubles with the recently installed World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in collaboration with Menaik, against the combination of home favorites Taylor Fritz and Michelsen. The American task was to maintain the momentum that was created by Fonseca and to deliver the points, but that turned out to be too heavy a mission.
The home players had a set point on return to 5-6 in the tiebreak of the opening set to be thwarted alone and although both pairs held their portions, Fritz was crucially broken in the last game after an hour and 43 minutes, 7-6 (7) 6-4.
“I think it is double, it gives you more opportunities to take great photos, great Volleys,” said Alcaraz, whose Showmanship was completely visible. “But Double is not just about one player. You have to work with a great player like I did today with Jakub. Thanks to him with his great photos, great skills on the Volleys, he made me comfortable on the field.”
The promotion will take place in San Francisco on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. local time with victories that now score two points.
The line-up is Alexander Zverev (too) against Alex de Minaur (TW) and Holger Rune (Te) against Francisco Cerundolo (TW) in the afternoon, while Alcaraz takes on Fritz in the first of the evening matches followed by a double between Rune & Ruud and the Minaur & Michelsen.
Since the start of Laver Cup in 2017, no team has returned from 3-1 to win!
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