Daijiworld Media Network - San Francisco
San Francisco, Sept 20: Team Europe made a dominant start to their Laver Cup 2025 campaign, winning three of four matches on the opening day at the Chase Center, as newly crowned world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz headlined the evening with a dazzling doubles display.
Alcaraz, fresh off his sixth Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open, partnered rising Czech star Jakub Mensik to clinch a tight 7-6(7), 6-4 victory over Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen, giving Europe a 3-1 advantage heading into Saturday’s crucial matchups.
“Doubles gives you more chances to hit great shots and volleys,” said Alcaraz after the match. “But it’s not just about one player. Jakub was amazing today — he made me feel really comfortable out there.”
The duo sealed the win with a decisive break in the 10th game of the second set, capping off a near-flawless day for the defending champions, who are chasing their sixth title in seven editions of the Laver Cup — tennis' fast-growing answer to golf’s Ryder Cup.
Under the tournament’s unique scoring system, victories on Day 1 earn one point each, with the stakes rising to two points on Saturday and three on Sunday. The first team to reach 13 points out of a possible 24 will be crowned the 2025 champions.
Strong Start for Europe
The day opened with Casper Ruud setting the tone for Europe, defeating Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-6(4) with his trademark consistency and court craft. Mensik, playing singles earlier in the day, followed up with a gritty win over Michelsen, prevailing 6-1, 7-6(3), 10-8 in a match full of explosive rallies and nervy tiebreaks.
Team World’s lone bright spot came courtesy of Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, who showed nerves of steel and fearless baseline aggression to defeat Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 6-3, keeping his team in the contest.
“I wanted to suffocate him, not let him breathe,” Fonseca said, exuding confidence. “This was an important win for the team, and I’m proud of how I stayed aggressive.”
Despite Fonseca's impressive showing, Team World faces an uphill task on Day 2, with Europe holding momentum and a deep bench of top-ranked talent.