Berlin, Germany, Sept 21 V7N – In a thrilling conclusion to the first day of the Laver Cup, American duo Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton defeated the star pairing of Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev with a score of 7-6(5), 6-4, leveling the competition at 2-2 between Team World and Team Europe.

The match followed a series of singles contests where Team Europe initially took a 2-1 lead. Stefanos Tsitsipas dominated Thanasi Kokkinakis with a score of 6-1, 6-4, while Grigor Dimitrov narrowly edged out Alejandro Tabilo in a tense match that ended 7-6(4), 7-6(2). Dimitrov's victory was particularly notable as he rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the second set, showcasing his resilience on the court. "When I was down in the second set, I just tried to be very patient," Dimitrov commented after the match.
Fritz and Shelton's performance in the doubles match was marked by their aggressive play, with the Americans hitting 20 winners throughout the match. "We both served really well under pressure," Fritz noted in an on-court interview, praising Shelton's serving prowess.

The evening session kicked off with Dimitrov's thrilling win, but he also expressed concerns about his physical condition, stating, "The body's been struggling, I'm not going to lie."
Earlier in the day, Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo secured the first point for Team World by defeating world number nine Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4, setting the stage for a competitive day of tennis.

As the teams prepare for the next rounds, players arrived at Berlin's Uber Arena dressed in black tuxedos and bow ties, adding a touch of elegance to the three-day event. Points are awarded differently throughout the tournament, with first-day victories worth one point each, two points for wins on the second day, and three points for the final day on Sunday.

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