Team Europe Races to 3-1 Lead on Day 1 of Laver Cup

Team Europe made a strong opening statement at the 2025 Laver Cup in San Francisco, surging ahead 3-1 on the strength of singles wins from Casper Ruud and Jakub Mensik, plus a spirited doubles triumph from world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and Mensik under the lights at Chase Center.

An enthusiastic crowd packed the arena, creating a charged atmosphere befitting the first-ever Laver Cup held in California. Tennis icon Roger Federer was in his usual perch courtside, receiving hearty applause every time cameras showed his face on the jumbotron. Luminaries including Bill Gates and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell were also present, as well as members of the Golden State Warriors basketball team.

Team Europe controlled things from the start, but the tennis was entertaining and the crowd was engaged, as were the players and their captains – Andre Agassi for Team World and Yannick Noah for Team Europe.

The lone bright spot on the scoreboard for Team World came courtesy of Brazil’s Joao Fonseca. The 19-year-old, playing his first Laver Cup match, delivered a dazzling debut, defeating Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 6-3. In doing so, he became the youngest player to ever win a Laver Cup match.

Fonseca hit with enormous power on the slow-playing courts, and won 10 of the final 13 games against Cobolli as his captain Andre Agassi looked in in awe, a wide smile illuminating his iconic face.

“It’s crazy—it’s literally a show,” Fonseca said of the team vibe. “Tennis is an individual game, and being there with our team off court and on court, it’s just unbelievable.”

Team World vice-captain Patrick Rafter heaped praise on the teenager’s openness and maturity, calling him “exceptional” and predicting a bright future.

But the momentum created by Fonseca’s jaw-dropping performance was short-lived. To close the evening, Alcaraz and Mensik combined to outgun Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen 7-6(7), 6-4, sending Team Europe into Day 2 with a commanding lead.

The Americans performed well, and Michelsen showed himself as a doubles force, but they squandered a set point in the first-set tiebreak and couldn’t recover.

“I am not used to playing doubles, but every time that I play, I love it,” Alcaraz said afterward. “I just have fun, just play great. I feel great on court.”

Day 2, and two points per match

The action resumes Saturday with Alexander Zverev facing Alex de Minaur in the opener, followed by Holger Rune against Francisco Cerundolo. In the evening, Alcaraz and Fritz will square off in a Top 5 battle before doubles closes the night, with Rune and Ruud taking on de Minaur and Michelsen.