Casper Ruud, Matteo Berrettini and Andrey Rublev gave Europe the first three points at the expense of the rest of the world squad, who closed the gap to 3-1 with the double, for the Laver Cup matchday one played Friday in Boston. It is an almost perfect start made by the Europeans, triple title holders, under the eyes of Roger Federer, recovering after a third knee operation and whose season is over, but who wanted to be present in the stands, for the 4th edition of this competition of which he is one of the instigators. Sitting alongside the man who lends him his name, the legendary Rod Laver, the last male player to have achieved a calendar Grand Slam (1969), since Novak Djokovic, absent in Massachusetts, failed to do the same in the final of the last US Open,Switzerland has seen its usual partners from the Old Continent shine, in fairly close matches. Berrettini (7th in the world) thus won a rather crazy duel 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 10-8 against the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime (11th). The latter, who concluded the first set on his eighth opportunity, gave up the second after being broken at 6-5. Then the Italian only needed a match point to remove the super tie-break, particularity of the event.only needed a match point to remove the super tie-break, particularity of the event.only needed a match point to remove the super tie-break, particularity of the event.
In the aftermath, Rublev (5th) also had the last word against Argentinian Diego Schwartzman (15th), in the decisive game counting for the third set, while he was behind 6-2, then 8-5.
The first point was reported by Casper Ruud (10th), winner 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) of the American Reilly Opelka (19th).
In the night session, the American-Canadian pair John Isner / Denis Shapovalov overturned the one made up of the German Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini, winning 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 10-1.
On Saturday, four more matches will be on the program, each victory will be worth two points.
