LONDON. By Leo Canaparo. Photo Laver Cup
London’s The O2 is once again at the center of the tennis world as the 2026 Laver Cup brings together some of the biggest names on the ATP Tour. With Yannick Noah leading Team Europe and Andre Agassi at the helm of Team World, the opening day delivered four competitive matches and plenty of quality tennis. As usual on Day 1, each victory is worth one point.
Francisco Cerúndolo, ranked No. 22 in the world, and Casper Ruud (No. 17) had the honor of opening the competition. In a tight battle that lasted just over two hours, Ruud held his nerve in the decisive moments to defeat the Argentine 6-7(4), 6-4, 10-8, giving Team Europe the first point of the weekend.
Team World quickly responded through Brandon Nakashima (No. 16), who overcame Jakub Mensik (No. 15) 6-1, 3-6, 10-7 to level the score. The third singles match saw Spain’s Rafael Jódar (No. 14) produce one of the day’s most convincing performances, defeating Alexander Bublik 6-2, 6-3.
The final action of the day belonged to the doubles. Carlos Alcaraz and Mensik combined for Team Europe against Taylor Fritz and Bublik, producing an effective performance to secure a 6-4, 6-4 victory. With the result, Team Europe closed the opening day with a 2-1 lead over Team World, setting the stage for another intense battle in London.