By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, September 20, 2024
Stefanos Tsitsipas swept Thanasi Kokkinakis to level for Team Europe after Francisco Cerundolo staked Team World to a Laver Cup lead.
Photo credit: Luciano Lima/Getty for Laver Cup
Flushing Meadows flashbacks didn’t haunt Stefanos Tsitsipas today—they inspired him.
Toppled from the US Open by Thanasi Kokkinakis last month, Tsitsipas bounced back in Berlin today.
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Tsitsipas burst through five games in a row blitzing Kokkinakis 6-1, 6-4 to level Team Europe with Team World, 1-1, at Laver Cup Berlin.
Earlier, Francisco Cerundolo stopped Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 staking World to a 1-0 lead.
Kokkinakis was a four-set winner over Tsitsipas in the US Open first round last month.
The 12th-ranked Greek was pumped for payback today.
“Pretty solid I’d say. Very excited with the type of game that I brought today,” Tsitsipas told Andrea Petkovic in his on-court interview. “It was important for us, team Europe, to get a point and we didn’t start very well this morning. But I’m happy I contributed with a point.
“It was against an opponent of course I didn’t have such a great time a few weeks ago at the US Open. I was trying to redeem myself and go out on the court and not just do it for myself, but for the whole team.”
Controlling the center of the court with his forehand, Tsitsipas hit 21 winners to 14 for the Aussie.
A fired-up Tsitsipas came out asserting his forehand against a jittery Kokkinakis.
Tsitsipas hammered forehands drawing a backhand error to break for a 2-0 lead. Showing the entire shot spectrum, Tsitispas torched an ace and flicked a forehand drop shot winner confirming the break at 15 for 3-0.
Dancing inside the baseline, Tsitsipas lashed a backhand winner down the line then cranked a crosscourt forehand winner for a 4-0 double-break lead. Tsitsipas sped out to a 5-0 lead after just 25 minutes of play.
Tsitsipas served out the opening set in 31 minutes.
Though Kokkinakis elevated his game in the second set, Tsitsipas maintained control closing in one hour, 21 minutes to take a 2-1 lead in their head-to-head series.
Match 1: Francisco Cerundolo (World) d. Casper Ruud (Europe) 6-4, 6-4
Francisco Cerundolo is a successful opener.
Stepping in as a late replacement for Team World, Cerundolo defeated Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in today’s opening Laver Cup match.
“Super proud, being part of the team is really special,” Cerundolo said. “Getting the win last year and win here and beating a Top 10 player, I’m super happy. Hopefully, we can keep going on with this competition.”
For the second year in a row, Cerundolo delivered an opening day win. Last year in Vancouver, Cerundolo stopped Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on day one of play.
Today, Cerundolo whipped his heavy forehand across the charcoal-colored court. Cerundolo smacked 16 winners—five more than Ruud—and broke serve three times in a 97-minute victory.
Before a packed Uber Arena crowd that included former world No.1 champions Angelique Kerber and Ana Ivanovic in the front row. Cerundolo saved three break points to hold in the fourth game.
In a match where both men were trying to dictate play with the forehand, Cerundolo did it well firing a forehand to set up a smash for break point in the seventh game. Ruud flattened a backhand into net as Team World broke for 4-3 after 35 minutes.
On the slower black court, Cerundolo showed patience—and the skill to manage his weaker backhand wing—saving a break point then winning the longest rally of the match with a crunching two-handed backhand wrapping a hard-fought hold for 5-3.
As Ruud struggled at times to control his returns, Cerundolo converted his second set point, sealing a one-set lead after 54 minutes.
“The set was huge, we wanted to get on him a little bit,” World captain John McEnroe said.
Trying to reverse course, Ruud attempted a serve-and-volley. Cerundolo put a dipping return right at the former French Open finalist’s feet for break point. Ruud scattered a shot as Cerundolo broke to start the second set.
That one-set, one break lead left Cerundolo swinging freely. He unleashed the serve and volley and carved out a forehand drop shot winner confirming the break for 6-4, 2-0.
The owner of three ATP titles, Cerundolo was striking his forehand with more conviction as he broke again, extending his lead to 6-4, 5-2.
Ruud battered the Argentinian's backhand wing getting one of the breaks back in the eighth game. Ruud rolled an ace to close to 4-5 and force Cerundolo to serve for the match again.
This time, Cerundolo kissed a forehand drop shot off the tape to seal a 6-4, 6-4 win in 97 minutes.
“I mean it was a great match from my part. I felt super comfortable on court, feeling really good…
“When I play the team competitions, there’s something inside me that makes me play really good. I’m super happy today to win for our team.”