Alcaraz debuts with defeat at the Laver Cup alongside Zverev

Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz lost this Friday in his debut at the Laver Cup, a tournament associated with the ATP that pits Europe against the Rest of the World, forming doubles with the German Alexander Zverev, a point that meant 2-2 after the first day.

After helping Spain secure a place in the Davis Cup Final 8, the Murcia native is enjoying his first experience of this tournament, with a seventh edition being played in Berlin. However, Alcaraz was unable to score points for Europe, a team seeking revenge after losing the last two Cups, beaten by the American pair of Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton.

The Spaniard went from strength to strength, but the first set was decided in the tie-break by 7-6(5), while the second set, equally even, left the break in Zverev’s serve that Shelton sealed around midnight. Thus, the opening day of the Laver Cup ended with a score of 2-2, only four of the 24 points that will be up for grabs until Sunday.

Three singles matches were also played on Friday, with European points for Greek Stéfanos Tsitsipás and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov against Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis (6-1, 6-4) and Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (7-6(4, 7-6(2). Meanwhile, Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo beat Norwegian Casper Ruud (6-4, 6-4).