Team Europe made a strong start to the Laver Cup in San Francisco on Friday, winning three of the four matches on day one to take a 3-1 lead over Team World. Carlos Alcaraz, fresh from winning the US Open and regaining his world number one ranking, impressed in doubles alongside Jakub Mensik. The pair beat Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen 7-6(7), 6-4 in the final match of the day.
Speaking after the win, Alcaraz said doubles gives players more chances to make exciting shots, but praised his teammate, saying it was a real team effort and that Mensik’s skill helped him feel comfortable on court.
Playing in his first tournament since winning his sixth Grand Slam, Alcaraz showed great touch at the net and from the baseline, while Mensik added power. They secured victory with a crucial break in the second set.
The Laver Cup is a three-day event that pits top players from Europe against the rest of the world, similar to golf’s Ryder Cup. The first team to reach 13 points out of a possible 24 wins the tournament. Matches on day one are worth one point, day two matches are worth two, and matches on the final day are worth three.
Earlier in the day, Casper Ruud gave Team Europe a strong start with a 6-4, 7-6(4) win over Reilly Opelka. Mensik followed up by beating Michelsen 6-1, 7-6(3), 10-8 to add another point.
Team World’s only win came from Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, who came from a break down to beat Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 6-3. That result stopped Team Europe from winning all four matches on the day.
After his win, Fonseca said he knew the match would be tough but was pleased with how he stayed positive. He said his plan was to play aggressive tennis and not give Cobolli any space.
