IMAGE: Team Europe’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in action during his match against Team World’s Thanasi Kokkinakis. Photograph: Annegret Hilse/Reuters
Team Europe and Team World are tied at 2 after one day of the Laver Cup after play opened Friday in Berlin.
Team World’s Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina upset Casper Ruud of Norway 6-4, 6-4. Cerundolo, ranked No. 31 in the world, won in 97 minutes and fired 16 winners to improve to 4-3 all-time against the No. 9 Ruud.
Team Europe’s Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece got his side even with a 6-1, 6-4 victory in 81 minutes over Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia.
Later in the day, Team Europe’s Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria edged Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2). But a pair of Americans got Team World back even in doubles, as Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton edged Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and German Alexander Zverev 7-6 (5), 6-4. Fritz and Shelton combined for eight aces, saved 4 of 5 break points and converted both their opportunities to break Alcaraz and Zverev.
Hangzhou Open
China’s Bu Yunchaokete upset second-seeded Karen Khachanov 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3 to reach his first ATP Tour quarterfinal.
The home country favorite, Yunchaokete converted 3 of 5 break-point opportunities and recorded 34 winners and 13 aces. Russia’s Khachanov fired 18 aces and 35 winners but also had more unforced errors, 38-33.
Fourth-seed Brandon Nakashima saved two match points in knocking off Hong Kong qualifier Chak Lam Coleman Wong 6-7 (7), 7-6 (4), 6-1. Nakashima will play in the quarterfinals against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata, who advanced after Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan withdrew because of illness.
Mikhail Kukushkin defeated fellow Kazakhstani Alexander Shevchenko 6-7, 7-6 (3).
Chengdu Open
Yannick Hanfmann of Germany ousted seventh-seeded Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the second round in China.
France’s Mpetshi Perricard had more aces (22-8) and winners (32-26) but also more unforced errors (27-16). Hanfmann converted 2 of 6 break-point opportunities.
Third-seeded Nicolas Jarry of Chile outlasted Slovakia’s Lukas Klein 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4, and fourth-seeded Pedro Martinez Portero of Spain captured a 6-3, 6-4 win over Australia’s Aleksander Vukic. Russian qualifier Alibek Kachmazov downed Japan’s Taro Daniel 7-6 (1), 6-1.
