Team Europe ended the opening day of the Laver Cup with a 3-1 advantage over Team World at London’s O2 Arena, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik taking the final doubles point after Rafael Jodar had won his first match in the competition.
The lead gives Europe a positive start to the three-day contest, but captain Yannick Noah said the team would remain measured after experiencing the same scoreline after day one in San Francisco last year before Team World won the Cup.
Each Friday match win was worth one point. The value of every result now rises, with Saturday matches worth two points and Sunday’s worth three; a team needs 13 points to secure the trophy. Europe’s advantage is therefore useful rather than decisive as the schedule moves into its higher-scoring stages.
Ruud and Jodar give Europe the edge
Casper Ruud opened the event by overcoming Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (4), 6-4, 10-8. The match was the first of two opening-session contests settled by a match tie-break, and it put Europe in front.
Team World quickly drew level when Brandon Nakashima beat Mensik 6-1, 3-6, 10-7. It was Nakashima’s Laver Cup debut and remains Team World’s only point after the first day.
The contrasting outcomes of those two match tie-breaks left the teams level after the daytime singles. That made Jodar’s evening victory significant within the shape of the day: it gave Europe their second point and ensured the final doubles would decide whether either side finished Friday ahead.
Jodar then restored Europe’s lead in the evening singles match, defeating Alexander Bublik 6-2, 6-3. Tennis Majors reported that the Spaniard converted four of nine break-point opportunities and won 81% of points behind his first serve in his first Laver Cup appearance.
Jodar said afterwards that opening matches at events could be difficult, but he felt he had adapted to the court as the contest developed. He said he had played with greater solidity and clarity during the second set.
The result supplied Europe with the first clear separation of the day after the opening singles had been divided. It also meant Bublik returned for the closing doubles, where Team World had an immediate opportunity to restore parity before the higher-value sessions.
That straight-sets result broke a 1-1 deadlock and placed the pressure back on Team World ahead of the closing doubles.
Alcaraz and Mensik finish strongly
Alcaraz and Mensik beat Bublik and Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 to earn Europe’s third point. Tennis Majors reported that the European pair saved three break points in an Alcaraz service game during the first set, before completing the win in one hour and 27 minutes.
The pairing had also played together at the 2025 Laver Cup. Mensik said their relationship brought good energy and that they complemented one another on court, while Alcaraz said they had strong chemistry. Their latest victory extended their unbeaten record together at the event to two matches.
For Europe, the doubles success ensured the first day ended with two consecutive points rather than a level score. Alcaraz and Mensik’s win also set up Saturday’s singles meeting between Alcaraz and Fritz, who had been on opposing sides of the final match.
The closing result also gave Europe a measure of protection before the scoring increases, rather than requiring them to recover from a deficit. However, the format means a single Saturday win carries twice the value of each Friday result, which supports Noah’s view that the opening position cannot determine the eventual outcome.
Noah’s response to the 3-1 position was deliberately cautious. He said the opening two matches had been finely balanced and noted that Europe’s identical first-day lead in 2025 had not translated into an overall victory. His focus was instead on recovery and preparation for the remaining sessions.
Saturday’s order of play includes Alcaraz against Fritz in singles, following their appearance on opposite sides of the closing doubles. Flavio Cobolli is due to face Learner Tien, Alexander Zverev is scheduled to play Alex de Minaur, and Ruud and Zverev are listed to meet Bublik and Nakashima in doubles.
Europe have won the Laver Cup five times, while Team World claimed its third title in the previous edition. With the points system set to accelerate, the opening-day score provides Europe with a platform, but Noah’s comparison with last year underlines why neither side can yet treat the contest as settled.