ATP Tour

Fonseca wins Laver Cup debut, Alcaraz strikes back in doubles

Joao Fonseca put Team World on the board at the 2025 Laver Cup with a stylish debut victory before the doubles duo of Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik staked Team Europe a 3-1 lead after Friday's play in San Francisco.

The youngest player to compete at Laver Cup at age 19, Fonseca stormed back from 2-4 in the opening set against Flavio Cobolli, rattling off five games in a row and seven out of eight to take control of the singles showdown. After the #NextGenATP Brazilian's 6-4, 6-3 victory breathed life into Team World, Alcaraz and Mensik clawed back the momentum for the Europeans with a 7-6(7), 6-4 victory against Taylor Fritz and Alex Michelsen. It was Alcaraz's first competitive action since he won the US Open title and reclaimed the No. 1 PIF ATP Ranking.

Team World was staring down a potential 0-3 deficit before Fonseca fired up his team and the San Francisco crowd with an electric display of power and shotmaking that left Cobolli without answers, even with Roger Federer cheering him on from the stands.

"I think my team helped me a lot, to stay positive during the match," said Fonseca, who was born 12 days before new Team World captain Andre Agassi retired at the 2006 US Open. "I was a little bit more nervous than usual. It's normal. And then after I started talking a little bit more with Andre and the team... I was playing good in the beginning, but I was still a little bit nervous and making a lot of mistakes, but after I got through so I'm very happy with that."

The crowd sang Fonseca's name throughout the match, and his captain and teammates joined in on the fun in celebration following the much-needed victory.

Alcaraz and Mensik cut the home team's party short with a clinical doubles display in which they did not face a break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats. But the Spanish-Czech duo did have to save a set point, on return at 5/6 in the first-set tie-break. The lone break of the match came in its final game, when Fritz was unable to extend the entertaining match. 

"I think doubles, it gives you more opportunities to make great shots, great volleys," said Alcaraz, whose showmanship was on full display. "But doubles is not just about one player. You have to team up with a great player like I did today with Jakub. Thanks to him with his great shots, great skills on the volleys as well, he made me feel comfortable on the court."

Mensik, who also beat Michelsen in singles earlier on Friday, completed a perfect Laver Cup debut by winning both of his matches on Day 1. The action continues in San Francisco on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. local time.

Since the start of Laver Cup in 2017, no team has come back from 3-1 down to win.