(London) Félix Auger-Aliassime lost 7-6 (11), 4-6, 10-7 to Italian Metteo Berrettini in the first singles match of the day at the Laver Cup on Saturday.
Posted at 11:02
Auger Aliassime, 13e world racket, thus suffered a third defeat in four career games on the ATP circuit against Berrettini, 15e world player.
This gave the European team a 4-2 lead against the international team.
This match will be followed by that between Briton Cameron Norrie and American Taylor Fritz, and that between Serbian Novak Djokovic and American Frances Tiafoe later this afternoon.
Norrie will perform on the court painted black following the withdrawal of Spaniard Rafael Nadal. “Rafa” explained that he had to leave the competition on Saturday to join his wife, who is soon to give birth to their first child.
A doubles match between the pair formed by Berrettini and Djokovic against that of the American Jack Sock and the Australian Alex de Minaur will close the day’s activities at the O2 Arena in London.
This team competition was created by Roger Federer’s management company. The 41-year-old Swiss made his swan song Friday night in doubles with his eternal rival, Nadal. The holder of 20 career Grand Slam titles and Nadal lost 4-6, 7-6(2), 11-9 to Sock and Tiafoe.