Laver Cup: Fritz, Shelton draw Team World level with Europe with doubles victory

Team World pulled level with Team Europe on the opening day of the 2024 Laver Cup, thanks to an electrifying doubles victory by Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton.

The duo defeated Team Europe’s power pair, Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and world number two Alexander Zverev, 7-6(5), 6-4, in a match that capped an intense first day of the competition.

After a strong start by Team Europe in the singles, with Stefanos Tsitsipas breezing past Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-1, 6-4, and Grigor Dimitrov edging out Alejandro Tabilo in two tiebreaks, 7-6(4), 7-6(2), Team World found themselves trailing. However, the American tandem of Fritz and Shelton rose to the occasion, putting on a clinic in front of a packed Uber Arena crowd to ensure the day ended with both teams tied at 2-2.

After combining for a sizzling 20 winners, Fritz and Shelton took full advantage of Alcaraz and Zverev’s unfamiliarity with each other in doubles play. “We both served really well under pressure,” said Fritz in the post-match interview. “Ben served incredibly well, so I didn’t have to hit any volleys. That was huge.”

For Alcaraz, it was a high-profile debut in the Laver Cup, while Zverev brought experience from previous editions. However, the Americans were relentless, capitalizing on key moments to seize the match in straight sets.

Earlier in the evening, Dimitrov, fighting through clear physical discomfort, delivered a resilient performance against Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo. Despite trailing 5-1 in the second set, Dimitrov clawed his way back into the match to claim the win in a thrilling double tiebreaker. “When I was down in the second set, I just tried to be patient, to fight for every point,” Dimitrov said. “It’s been tough, my body’s not holding up as well as I’d like, but I’m playing great tennis.”

While Team Europe initially had control of the day, Francisco Cerundolo set the tone for Team World earlier in the afternoon, defeating world number nine Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4. Cerundolo, who withstood Ruud’s early barrage, delivered Team World’s first point, striking confidently on the Laver Cup’s trademark black court.

The event kicked off in signature Laver Cup style, with both teams arriving at Berlin’s Uber Arena dressed in black tuxedos and bow ties for the competition’s glamorous opening ceremony. In this unique format, victories on Day 1 are worth one point each, with the stakes increasing on Day 2, where two points per match are awarded, and even higher on Day 3, with three points per match on offer.

With the first day wrapped up, both teams head into Saturday’s matches knowing that momentum is crucial, and the chase for the Laver Cup trophy is still.