Fritz stuns Alcaraz to continue perfect Laver Cup day for Team World
Taylor Fritz earned his first Lexus ATP Head2Head win in four tries against Carlos Alcaraz to extend a perfect Saturday for Team World at Laver Cup.
In a 6-3, 6-2 victory, the American imposed his powerful game on the new No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, dictating from the baseline at every opportunity and enjoying great success at net in the upset. Fittingly, he closed the match with a forehand volley winner, looking more like vice captain Pat Rafter than delighted captain Andre Agassi.
“We’ve been talking all day. It’s been an honour to play under Andre,” Fritz said post-match. “Both of us love to share our thoughts about the game. I knew what I had to do out here tonight. The question was whether I was going to be able to do it.”
Buoyed by the San Francisco crowd, which let out a roar when Golden State Warriors’ star Stephen Curry walked onto the court with Roger Federer for the coin toss, Fritz kept the volume up in Chase Center by taking the match to Alcaraz.
Fritz’s win staked his team a 7-3 advantage in the first-to-13 event, with each Saturday match counting for two points.
Alcaraz was playing his first singles match since winning his sixth Grand Slam singles title at the US Open and returning to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The defeat snapped a 13-match winning streak that dated back to the start of his trophy run at the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 event.
More to follow…