Taylor Fritz/Ben Shelton down Carlos Alcaraz/Alexander Zverev in Laver Cup | ATP Tour

Laver Cup

Scores degree at Laver Cup after Fritz/Shelton down Alcaraz/Zverev in doubles

Dimitrov edges Tabilo in Friday night singles conflict

September 20, 2024

The battle for the 2024 Laver Cup is intriguingly poised heading into Day 2.

Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton drew Staff World degree at 2-2 with Staff Europe after downing the host staff’s star Friday-night doubles pairing of Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev 7-6(5), 6-4 within the remaining match of the day in Berlin.

All tied up 🔥

🔴 Staff World: 2
🔵 Staff Europe: 2@Taylor_Fritz97/@BenShelton tie issues up after a 7-6(5) 6-4 win over Alcaraz/Zverev.@LaverCup | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/XgtoSsulPo

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 20, 2024

Individuals Fritz and Shelton fired 20 winners, together with eight aces, en path to a 95-minute victory in opposition to the No. 2 within the PIF ATP Rankings Zverev and No. 3 Alcaraz, the latter of whom was making his Laver Cup debut. They sealed their win after clinching an important break within the ninth sport of the second set to revive parity for Staff World within the annual groups occasion.

“We each served rather well below strain,” stated Fritz in his on-court interview. “Ben served extremely effectively, so I didn’t must hit any volleys. That was large.”

Shelton added: “I used to be simply having enjoyable on the market to be sincere. It makes life fairly straightforward whenever you’re enjoying with a man who’s shifting like Taylor is correct now. Fairly gentle on his toes, and we had a whole lot of enjoyable. Our first time enjoying collectively, and I believe the chemistry was fairly good.”

Grigor Dimitrov had earlier opened a 2-1 lead for Staff Europe on the opening day with an exhilarating 7-6(4), 7-6(2) victory in opposition to Staff World’s Alejandro Tabilo. The Bulgarian rallied from a double-break deficit at 1-5 to grab a straight-sets win and enhance to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head collection with Tabilo.

Dimitrov, who was compelled to retire from his US Open quarter-final in opposition to Frances Tiafoe on account of damage simply 16 days in the past, despatched down 11 aces and gained 80 per cent of factors behind his first function he overcame some extra bodily struggles inside Uber Area. Along with his two-hour, 15-minute win, Dimitrov improved to 2-0 in Laver Cup singles matches after he beforehand defeated Tiafoe on his occasion debut in 2018 in Chicago.

There shall be three extra singles matches and one doubles match in Berlin on Saturday, when every victory shall be price two factors. Staff World is bidding to win its third consecutive Laver Cup this 12 months after it triumphed in London in 2022 and Vancouver final 12 months.