Laver Cup 2026, Day 1: Jódar crushes Bublik, Alcaraz & Menšík seal the doubles and Europe lead 3-1

The ninth Laver Cup is underway at The O2 in London (September 25-27) and the opening day delivered a script full of Spanish tennis: Europe lead 3-1 over Team World after Rafa Jódar steamrolled Bublik on his debut and Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Menšík closed Friday with a doubles win. Friday victories were worth one point each; Saturday ones will be worth two and Sunday ones three, with the trophy going to the first team to reach 13. (Sources: lavercup.com, ABC, Mundo Deportivo, AS, Infobae, Eurosport.)

Ruud opens with a comeback: 6-7(4), 6-4, 10-8 over Cerúndolo

The Norwegian opened the tournament for a fifth time and got his revenge against the only player to have beaten him in Laver Cup singles: Cerúndolo, in the 2024 opener in Berlin. The Argentine controlled the first hour, but Ruud — with 33 unforced errors to just 15 winners — found a way through a 2h06 comeback decided in the Laver Breaker (10-8) after saving 0-40 when his rival served at 4-4 in the second set. The win came with the Norwegian's Yonex EZONE 100 — in our catalog you'll find its 98 sq-in sister frame, the Yonex EZONE 98 (8th gen)from 247,99 € played by Shelton and Pegula —, the family Ruud has trusted for years.

Nakashima answers for the World: the VCORE 98 stops Menšík

Team World's first point came from debutant Brandon Nakashima, who joined the team after Ben Shelton's late withdrawal. The Californian came from behind to beat Czech Jakub Menšík 1-6, 6-3, 10-7 in the Laver Breaker, halting a player who had just lost the opening rubber of the Davis Cup tie in Prague. Nakashima plays with the Yonex VCORE 98 — Yonex VCORE 98 (8th gen)from 236,95 € —, the spin-and-control frame he shares with Hurkacz and Rybakina, already in our catalog.

Jódar, a statement debut: 6-2, 6-3 over Bublik

The performance of the day belonged to Rafa Jódar, 20: 6-2 6-3 in 1h25 against Alexander Bublik in his Laver Cup debut. The 8-0 run he put together between 2-2 in the first set and 4-0 in the second left the Kazakh without answers — Bublik finished Friday with a double defeat, also falling in the doubles. Jódar plays with the HEAD Speed MP 2026 — Head Speed MP 2026from 195,49 € —, the all-rounder of the Speed line, the same family as Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz & Menšík close the day: 6-4, 6-4 over Fritz-Bublik

Carlos Alcaraz put the finishing touch in the first doubles of the edition: alongside Menšík, his Blade 98 v10 partner — Wilson Blade 98 16x19 v10from 169,99 € —, he beat Taylor Fritz and Bublik 6-4 6-4 (1h27) and restored Europe's two-point cushion. Mundo Deportivo reports that the Spaniard will take the singles responsibility on Saturday, a day worth two points per win in which Zverev — with his Head Gravity Tour Zverev 2026from 228,95 €, the golden edition he used to lift the US Open —, Cobolli, De Minaur and Tien are all yet to debut.

Over in padel, the wait is almost over: Premier Padel resumes the season on Monday, September 28, with the Rotterdam P2, the first European event after the Paris Major.