Laver Cup 2019: List of matches scheduled on Day 1
A tournament that has drawn a lot of eyeballs since its inauguration in 2017, the Laver Cup is all set to entertain tennis fans across the globe, starting from Friday. The tournament has a unique scoring format, where a team gets one point for every match they win on Day 1, two points for every match they win on Day 2 and three points for every match they win on Day 3.
The maximum points a team could win is 24 and the first team to reach 13 points wins the tournament. If the scores are leveled at 12-12, a doubles decider will take place on Day 3 with one set along with a tie-breaker at 6-6.
With social media buzzing over various images of players from both the teams practicing with their team-mates, there is enough buzz to make the third edition of the Laver Cup a successful and a remembering one.
On this note, let us look at how the matches are scheduled for Day-1 (Friday).
Day Session- Match-1: Dominic Thiem(Team Europe) vs Denis Shapovalov(Team World)
The tournament will begin with a battle of two single-handed backhands and it's going to be a cracker of a contest between the two. But, Denis Shapovalov might have an upper-hand in this match as Dominic Thiem has been struggling to find form ever since Roland Garros owing to illness.
Team World could open on a winning note for the first time which would surely boost their morale in their bid to win the Laver Cup.
Match-2: Fabio Fognini(Team Europe) vs Jack Sock(Team World)
Jack Sock has been a prominent member of Team World and has been instrumental in winning matches, especially doubles. On the other hand, Fabio Fognini will be a debutant and this match could well do down in the tournament's history as one of the most enthralling matches ever, featuring two of the sports' best entertainers.
Jack Sock will use all his experience to defeat the Italian, but Fognini might just come on top in this match and start his stint with Team Europe on a winning note.
Night Session- Match 3: Stefanos Tsitsipas(Team Europe) vs Taylor Fritz(Team World)
Two players who will be debuting in the Laver Cup for the first time this year are Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz. The night session starts with this match and will also be the first meeting between the two players. Both of them have had their share of disappointments this year with Tsitsipas bowing out to Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round of French Open and looked as if he was still struggling to cope with that defeat as he under-performed in almost all the tournaments he played after Roland Garros except for the Washington Open, where he lost to Nick Kyrgios in the semi-finals.
Taylor Fritz, on the other hand, has been playing good tennis as he did reach the finals in Los Cabos Open and the Eastbourne International. But, his performances in majors and the Masters' tournaments are underwhelming and this match could probably provide the right platform for both these players to bounce back.
Match-4: Roger Federer/Alexander Zverev(Team Europe) vs Denis Shapovalov/Jack Sock(Team World)
The first day of the Laver Cup is going to end with a doubles match featuring the local hero, Roger Federer partnering with Alexander Zverev and Denis Shapovalov teaming up with Jack Sock. This match-up will set the stage for the rest of the tournament as it has the ability to get the attention of the audience if they become disappointed with any of the singles matches before.
Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev had teamed up once in 2018 that ended on a losing note. Coming to the duo of Denis Shapovalov and Jack Sock, it will be the first time they are pairing up as a team and with a doubles' expert by his side, Shapovalov could sure learn from his partner and rise to the occasion to end the first day on a phenomenal note.
Only Rafael Nadal from Team Europe will not be featuring in any of the matches on Day 1 and he could feature in at least singles match from Day 2. Similarly, Nick Kyrgios from Team World along with John Isner will not be playing on Day 1 and there is a high chance of a potential Kyrgios-Nadal match on Day 2.
So, expect the contest to get intense from Day 2 as the matches on Day 1 will lay the right foundation for the rest of the tournament.