Alcaraz saves two match points to beat Fritz as Europe lead Laver Cup

Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points to defeat Taylor Fritz 6-3 4-6 13-11, giving Team Europe a 7-5 lead over Team World at the Laver Cup at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday. The win was decided in a 13-11 deciding tiebreak.

Alcaraz, a two-time Wimbledon champion who has struggled with a wrist injury this year, narrowly avoided back-to-back singles defeats for the first time in 18 months. It was his first singles match since his late-night US Open quarter-final exit to Ben Shelton.

Facing match point at 8-9 in the tiebreak, Alcaraz fired an ace and later used a drop shot to deny a second match point; he converted his third when Fritz failed to retrieve another delicate drop shot over the net. After sealing the victory with a trademark touch, Alcaraz said: "The drop shot is part of my game. In those really close and important moments, I tried to use it because it was a really good weapon for me in this match."

Alcaraz struck 42 winners to Fritz’s 20, a performance that drew reactions from an audience including Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Fritz kept his errors to a minimum, and his only previous victory over Alcaraz came during Team World’s triumph in last year’s competition.

Earlier on Saturday Alex de Minaur rallied from a set down to beat Alexander Zverev 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 11-9, while American debutant Learner Tien edged Italy’s Flavio Cobolli 6-3 2-6 10-7. Following Alcaraz’s singles victory, Zverev returned to the court with Casper Ruud to record a doubles win, beating Alexander Bublik and Brandon Nakashima 6-4 7-6 (9-7) and keeping Europe ahead going into the final day.

Match wins on Sunday are worth three points, and the first team to reach 13 points will lift the trophy; Europe are chasing their sixth Laver Cup title while holders Team World are aiming for their third.