Just like the previous two editions in Prague in 2017 and in Chicago in 2018, the 2019 Laver Cup in Geneva is off to a very entertaining start. And just like the previous two editions, Team Europe has a 3-1 lead after the opening day of competition.
Team Europe, led by 5 of the Top 8 players in the World, won two of the three singles matches on Day One and then Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev closed out the night winning their doubles match in straight sets over Team World’s Denis Shapovalov and Jack Sock to give them the Europeans the lead heading into Saturday.
Friday started with Dominic Thiem saving three match points to defeat Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 5-7, 13-11 in the opening match. The one hour 46 minute singles opener didn’t disappoint the packed crowd of 17,000+ at the Palexpo as Theim moved to 2-0 in Laver Cup play for his career. It was a welcome win for the Australian who was upset in Davis Cup qualifying match just last weekend The 20-year old Canadian fell to 0-2. Both players played in the inaugural event two years ago.
The second match was an upset as heavily favoured Fabio Fognini fell in straight sets 6-1, 7-6 to American Jack Sock. Sock was 0-4 in singles play in 2019 and had won just four of 23 singles matches dating back to May of last year.
In the night session, a battle of 21-year olds saw Stefanos Tsitispas escape with a 6-2, 1-6, 10-7 win over Taylor Fritz. After a dominant opening set in which Tsitispas won 93-percent of his first serve points and all seven points at the net, the young American turned the tables on the World No. 7. In the second set it was Fritz who won 92-percent of his first serve points and was a perfect eight of eight at the he net to even the match.
In the ten-point super tiebreak, the Greek got off to an early 5-2 lead but Fritz, who won his first career ATP event at Eastbourne this past summer, battled back to take a 6-5 lead. A double fault at 7-7 gave Tsitispas an opening and he won the next three points to seal the match.
In the lone Doubles contest of the night, the Swiss crowd got their chance to see their hero. Federer played some solid tennis, more impressive the fact he rarely plays doubles anymore. Shapovalov and Sock did have their chances but weren’t able to convert. They were 1 for 16 in break point attempts in the match.
“We are very happy with 3-1 I can tell you that,” said Federer. “I was looking at 2 all before the day, just the feelings I had. I was just a little bit worried somehow, that maybe we were even going to be behind or 2-all.”
Saturday’s lineup is stacked with quality matches. It kicks off at 1pm local time with two big servers Alexander Zverev taking on John Isner. That will be followed by Roger Federer vs Nick Kyrgios.
The night session sees a Rafael Nadal double header. The reigning US Open champ will face Milos Raonic in singles and he will then partner with Tsitsipas in doubles to face Kyrgios and Sock.
