Sharing the doubles court for the first time, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton made immediate impression for The World.
US Open finalist Fritz and 2023 semifinalist Shelton topped Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev 7-6(5), 6-4 tonight.
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The big-serving pair pulled Team World level with Team Europe, 2-2, after the opening day of Laver Cup at the Uber Arena in Berlin.
“I mean we both served really well under pressure,” Fritz told Andrea Petkovic afterward. “Ben served incredibly well. So I didn’t have to hit any volleys so that was huge.”
The left-handed Shelton and right-handed Fritz won 81 percent of first-serve points, 70 percent of second-serve points and were broken just once in a 95-minute victory.
It came after veteran Grigor Dimitrov battled back from a 1-5 second-set deficit defeating Team World’s Alejandro Tabilo 7-6(4), 7-6(2) to put Team Europe ahead 2-1.
That comeback compelled Team World captain John McEnroe to issue direct advice to Fritz and Shelton.
“If you lose this next match, I’m pissed,” McEnroe said recounting his pre-match pep talk.
“It went pretty well,” McEnroe added. “It was an executing day with some unpredictable matches….
“Watching the way they play doubles it’s not the way I used to play but it’s awesome to watch.”
Shelton was the most aggressive net player on the court tonight and said afterward this victory could be a prelude to the pair partnering again.
“I was just having fun out there to be honest. It makes life pretty easy when you’re playing with a guy who’s moving like Taylor is right now,” Shelton said. “He’s pretty light on his feet. We had a lot of fun.
“This is our first time playing together and I think the chemistry is pretty good. It’s tough that we can’t play again together here, but I think you’ll see us on the doubles court again in the future.”
They could reunite in next month’s Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga, Spain where the USA will face Australia, which boasts both the US Open doubles champions and Olympic gold-medal doubles champions.
“If it keeps going well you can see us at Davis Cup—maybe,” Fritz said.
Americans Fritz and Shelton played forehands in the middle and imposed that alignment on Alcaraz’s serve. Fritz fired a forehand right at net man Zverev for double break point.
Leaning low, Shelton banged a crosscourt backhand and attacked, provoking an Alcaraz error as Team World broke for 3-1.
Shelton slammed down a strong hold at 15 as World edged ahead 5-2.
Fritz served for the first set at 5-3, but Zverev zapped a full stretch forehand return inside the sideline as Europe broke back in the ninth game.
The tiebreaker opened with Fritz scraping out a lunging lob to extend the point before Team World won it. Zverev answered with an ace down the T. Then Shelton stood tall nudging a backhand volley, whipping an ace wide and jolting a heavy serve for 4-1. Alcaraz buried a forehand return into net giving Team World three set points.
On the first set point, Europe poked back four rapid-fire volleys. A soaring Alcaraz slammed a smash down the middle erasing a second set point for 5-6.
On the third set point, Shelton blasted the body serve to take the first set after 49 minutes.
Fritz and Shelton combined to fight off four break points on the US Open finalist’s serve. Working through that tough test, Team World held to level the second set, 2-all.
Deadlocked at 4-all in the second set, Zverev was serving up 30-love when Shelton caught Alcaraz on the poach and pounded a pass behind him. That shot sparked a World resurgence.
Fritz fired a forehand right at Alcaraz at net as Team World earned a break point. Shelton smacked a forehand off the back edge of the baseline clinching the crucial break and a 5-4 lead for the red side.
Shelton rocketed an ace out wide for match point then cracked another wide serve to end it in 95 minutes and pull Team World even with Team Europe 2-2.
“I back our guys. I think everytime I’m sitting there on the bench cheering I think we’re gonna win,” Shelton said. “So I definitely would have been hoping for 4-0, but 2-2 we feel confident going into Day 2.”
Team World is bidding for its third consecutive Laver Cup in the farewell season of World captain McEnroe and Europe captain Bjorn Borg.
“Coming out even, I think we’re looking good for the next two days,” Fritz said.
Match 3: Grigor Dimitrov (Europe) d. Alejandro Tabilo (World) 7-6(4), 7-6(2)
During day session play, Grigor Dimitrov offered coaching advice to teammates on changeovers.
The oldest man in this Laver Cup competition, Dimitrov delivered a lesson in grit on court tonight.
Fighting back from a 1-5 second-set deficit, Dimitrov withstood Alejandro Tabilo and an apparent groin issue scoring a 7-6(4), 7-6(2) Laver Cup victory for Team Europe.
Dimitrov drilled 32 winners to 15 for Tabilo, who suffered his seventh straight loss after putting himself in position to take the second set by building that 5-1 lead.
The 33-year-old Bulgarian beat Tabilo for the second time in as many meetings, following a Miami Open comeback win en route to the final last spring. Five of the six sets the pair have played have been decided in tiebreakers.
“It was a great, great fight,” Dimitrov told Todd Woodbridge afterward. “In the past I played him once this year and it was a similar situation. So I was just very happy with the way I moved around the court. And I was using the court a lot as well.
“I mean, he’s lefty, quite uncomfortable, especially indoors. He was serving amazing. Even though I was reading the game it was very hard to return and when I was down in the second set just tried to be very patient. Point-by-point, I started building a little bit more and I had good momentum coming into the tiebreak.”
Laver Cup debutant Tabilo was serving at 5-6 in the second set when the pair played a physical all-court point. Dimitrov appeared to strain his groin or leg in that point. Dimitrov, who retired from his US Open quarterfinal vs. Frances Tiafoe due to injury, said he will undergo an exam.
“Well let’s see we’re going to reassess now, but it’s a bit difficult when you’re warm,” Dimitrov said. “There were a few callings that I was not happy with for sure. So I’m just going to have a quick look. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious.
“But the body has been struggling, I’m not gonna lie. I feel like I’m playing great tennis, but my body’s not allowing me to push through a little bit more. I know it’s the end of the season, but I’m still very excited. I just want to do the best that I can physically just to put myself in position to play in front of you guys hopefully for the end of the year.”
A steady stream of the left-hander’s forehand to Dimitrov’s one-handed backhand earned Tabilo break points in the fourth game. Dimitrov denied both break points, catching a break on the second when his backhand off the back foot crashed into the top of the tape and crawled over. Dimitrov held to level for 2-all.
Both men amped up their play in the opening tiebreaker.
In an electric all-court exchange, Dimitrov showed his speed running down three short shots in a row before dabbing a diagonal backhand pass that left him sliding right near the umpire’s chair.
Tabilo unleashed a slick serve-and-volley winner to even the tiebreaker, 4-4. Dimitrov drove a forehand return winner down the line for 5-4 then drew the error for set point.
Engaging in one of the longest exchanges of the set, Dimitrov rapped forehands corner-to-corner finally eliciting a netted forehand to take a high-quality 59-minute opening set.
Though the Chilean was seeking confidence mired in a four-match losing streak, including a straight-sets loss to David Goffin at the US Open, Tabilo was swinging more freely to start the second set.
Curling his crosscourt forehand low to Dimitrov’s one-hander Tabilo turned the tables to start the second set. Tabilo torched a few heavy forehands breaking twice in succession for a 4-1 second-set lead.
The 27-year-old Tabilo jammed a serve into the body then whipped a diagonal forehand holding for 5-1.
Tabilo tightened at closing time and Dimitrov was revitalized. Dimitrov saved three set points as he reeled off four games in a row, bolting a forehand strike down the line to break back for 5-all.
Though Dimitrov rolled through five games in a row, Tabilo steadied himself. A physically point that saw Dimitrov dash all over the court left the Bulgarian looking a little gimpy in the 12th game. Tabilo battled through a deuce hold stinging his seventh ace to force a second-set tiebreaker.
Actively aiming to shorten points, Dimitrov went on the attack from the outset spinning a backhand strike down the line to open the tiebreaker.
Stepping around his backhand, Dimitrov hammered a diagonal forehand winner, eventually extending his tiebreaker lead to 5-1.
Slashing his 11th ace down the T brought Dimitrov match point and he closed with a final forehand winner.
“You have to shorten the points a little bit,” Dimitrov said. “Also, in the tiebreaker I think I missed one first serve so that helped a lot especially when you can move the ball around the court it helps a lot especially the slice.
“I was in a good control and I was getting around some balls and I was able to penetrate a little bit more and I was getting free points and I think that was the key in the end. And I think if I would have just stepped back in the court and started looping the ball, I had zero chance.”
Laver Cup Results for Friday, September 20
Team World 2, Team Europe 2
Match 4
Taylor Fritz/Ben Shelton (World) d. Carlos Alcaraz/Alexander Zverev (Europe) 7-6(5), 6-4
Match 3
Grigor Dimitrov (Europe) d. Alejandro Tabilo (World) 7-6(4), 7-6(2)
Match 2
Stefanos Tsitsipas (Europe) d. Thanasi Kokkinakis (World) 6-1, 6-4
Match 1
Francisco Cerundolo (World) d. Casper Ruud (Europe) 6-4, 6-4