Laver Cup 2022: Tsitsipas adds win to Ruud’s for early Europe advantage, but Murray loses

With the first point in the bag on the opening day at the Laver Cup, courtesy of the world No2 Casper Ruud, it was now the turn of world No6 Stefanos Tsitsipas to try and score the second.

He took on Diego Schwartzman, ranked 17, and with a 3-2 head-to-head advantage. Three of their matches had been this year, with the last two going to the 24-year-old Tsitsipas. However, there had been some very close encounters, and this promised the same.

Tsitsipas got off to a fast, aggressive, impressive start, breaking early, attacking the net to claim 10/11 points there, as though to celebrate the Roger Federer style of tennis that so influenced the Greek’s own game.

Tsitsipas has never made a secret of his admiration for Federer’s tennis, claiming in the Team Europe press conference:

“He’s the reason I pursued a single-handed backhand. He’s the reason I felt a need to go for a professional career in tennis.”

He went on to break again, 6-2, but at the start of the second set, the Argentine dug in with some outstanding tennis in a long opening game, breaking the Greek’s serve at the fourth attempt. But the advantage did not last, Tsitsipas broke back, held to love, and broke to love, holding again with ease for 4-1. It was a run that Schwartzman could not stem, and the Greek and Europe ran to the 6-1 win and a second point on the board.

He had notched up 17 winners for just six errors, and 15 points won at the net. His hero would be delighted.

It was little wonder that both he and Ruud had felt a few extra nerves in these opening matches. They were being watched by arguably the best three players ever to pick up a racket, plus the icon after whom the tournament is names. Stir in the extra element of trying to win the trophy for Europe to give Federer the perfect send-off this weekend and it was a lot for young players to manage, no matter that they were currently the two highest ranked men at the O2.

Ruud said: “I mean, when the news came that this was going to be his last tournament or last event for Roger, I immediately thought of course how sad it was, but also that I’m going to give it all to try to help him, in a way, and help the team for him to finish with a win.

“It was a little bit tough and nerve-racking to be out there, but I think we all going to give it all for the team, but also extra special for Roger, and we all want him to finish his career in the best possible way with a win.”

Tsitsipas could barely contain his admiration for Federer in particular and the event in general: “It’s such a privilege to be here for the last dance. I have worked hard to be sitting right next to them. I have sacrificed a lot, and I’m super proud that I’m able to share this by their side with Bjorn Borg, having Mr Rod Laver to be here to watch us perform and play.

“This is the ultimate that you could ever ask, you know… For me to be here and be kind of a big part of it is something that will definitely remain unforgettable, a big highlight of my life and something that I will definitely be able to recall for many years to come.”

Next up was the highly anticipated contest that brought home hero Andy Murray back to the scene of one of his greatest victories, the ATP Finals in 2016. Having won Wimbledon and Olympic gold that year, the Briton went on a winning spree that earned him the No1 ranking into the bargain.

However, what happened after that is well known: multiple hip surgery, such that he contemplated the end of his tennis career at the Australian Open 2019. But he has battled back, now with a metal hip, and back inside the top 50 for the first time in over four years.

He took on, in Alex de Minaur, a young player ranked 22 and 12 years his junior. And the nimble Australian had also beaten Murray in their only previous match, though it was over three sets and almost three years ago.

The entry ceremonies here are lively, loud and full of emotion, and if Murray had not felt the weight of the moment before, he probably did when introduced as “the only two-time Olympic gold medallist, and your national hero—Andy Murray.”

Murray got off to a slow start, broken in the first game, soon 2-0 down, but with a game on the board, he had Federer on one shoulder, Nadal on the other at the change of ends.

He was beginning to dig in, find his rhythm, and a spectacular rally sealed by a high backhand volley led to a break back. A hold, and he led for the first time, 4-3, and even had a break chance, but three de Minaur aces assured the hold.

A marathon 12th game finally worked a break and set point for Murray but another long rally took it back to deuce with the match 80 minutes old and still not at a tie-break. But at last, Murray got the breakthrough, helped by a double fault, 7-5.

However, he was looking dog tired, and de Minaur got a quick break in the second, and then broke again for the set, 6-3. So a first-to-10 tiebreak it was, and the younger man had the marginal edge to its end, 10-7, a point back to Team World.

And so to the last and joyful dance, but more of that later.

• There was no fairytale ending for Federer, though he and Nadal came very close in a nail-biter that lasted two and a quarter hours. Sock and Tiafoe edged the win, 4-6, 7-6(2), 11-9, and there followed a tear-stained celebration of Federer’s retirement. The O2 remained crammed to the rafters with fans desperate to show their respects and affection as the clock headed to 1am: A rare sight, and a privilege to witness.

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