Saturday, September 25, 2021
Laver Cup started in 2021
Europe’s tennis professionals try to win
The Laver Cup in Boston could hardly have started better for Europe’s tennis players: First the Norwegian Casper Ruud can score, then the Italian Matteo Berrettini prevails against Auger-Aliassime from Canada. Olympic champion Alexander Zverev will now play an important role.
Europe’s tennis professionals got off to a perfect start at the Laver Cup. After the first two singles, the defending champion leads 2-0 against Team Welt. First, the Norwegian Casper Ruud prevailed against the American Reilly Opelka 6: 3, 7: 6 (7: 4). Then Matteo Berrettini from Italy wrestled the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6: 7 (3: 7), 7: 5, 10: 8 in a high-class game in the champions tiebreak.
The game at the TD Garden in Boston lasted 2:52 hours. This means that the Europeans are attempting their fourth victory in the fourth edition of the duel against Team Welt. Germany’s Olympic champion Alexander Zverev will be used in doubles in the night session of the first day. Both teams each consist of six professionals and one substitute. There are three singles and one doubles on each of the three days. A win on Friday is worth one point, on Saturday there are two points per game and on Sunday three. Whoever collects a total of 13 out of 24 points wins the Laver Cup.
In the previous year, the event was canceled due to the corona pandemic. In 2019 the team from Europe triumphed, Zverev took the decisive points with victory in the individual over the Canadian Milos Raonic. In Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, the three long-time superstars of the industry are missing this year due to injuries or exhaustion. Federer was at least a spectator in the TD Garden on Friday and was cheered by the spectators.