Kevin Anderson and Jack Sock on Friday spoiled the doubles debut of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, but Team Europe still led Team World 3-1 after the first day of the Laver Cup.
Grigor Dimitrov, David Goffin and Kyle Edmund all won their opening singles matches to give Team Europe a commanding 3-0 lead going into the evening’s final doubles match.
Team World’s Jack Sock and Kevin Anderson needed a tiebreaker to defeat the doubles dream team of Federer and Djokovic 6-7, 6-3, 10-6.
Photo: AP
Sock and Anderson won the tiebreaker after Federer double-faulted to give Team World a key 5-4 lead.
Earlier in the day, Europe’s Dimitrov cruised past Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-4, while Goffin saved two match points to outlast Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 4-6, 11-9 and Edmund toppled World’s Sock 6-4, 5-7, 10-6.
This is the second installment of the Laver Cup, which has been dubbed the Ryder Cup of tennis — although it lacks the tradition of golf’s premier team event.
The exhibition is taking place on US soil for the first time and features 12 of the world’s top male players squaring off against each other in a three-day showcase, which wraps up today in Chicago.
The format calls for shorter matches. If the players split sets, they go straight to a 10-point tiebreaker.
“It’s pretty nice to play indoors — no sun, no wind,” Dimitrov said. “When you get in a good rhythm, you just want to follow it. I think today that’s what I did.”
Bjorn Borg’s favored Team Europe are trying to defend their crown against Team World, which is captained by tennis legend John McEnroe.
Federer, Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Dimitrov, Goffin and Edmund make up Team Europe.
Federer played in the first Laver Cup, but Djokovic is taking part for the first time.
Sock, Nick Kyrgios, John Isner, Tiafoe, Anderson and Schwartzman are representing Team World.
The event is named in honor of tennis legend Rod Laver, who won a record 200 singles titles, 11 Grand Slams and five Davis Cups for Australia.
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