The Laver Cup 2026 has started with a closely contested opening day in London, as Team Europe and Team World were tied 1-1 after the first two singles matches.
Team Europe initially moved ahead through Casper Ruud, but Brandon Nakashima responded with an impressive victory over Jakub Mensik to bring Team World back level.
Nakashima Wins Laver Cup Debut
Brandon Nakashima made a memorable first appearance at the Laver Cup, defeating Jakub Mensik in a deciding super tie-break.
Nakashima won the opening set 6-1 before Mensik responded by taking the second set 6-3. The Team World player then held his nerve in the deciding tie-break, winning 10-7 to secure the second point of the day.
The victory was also significant in Nakashima’s 2026 season. It marked his eighth win against a top-20 opponent this year, placing him behind only Jannik Sinner, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe in that particular category according to the supplied report.
Ruud Gives Team Europe the Early Lead
Before Nakashima’s victory, Casper Ruud had given Team Europe the advantage against Francisco Cerundolo.
Ruud eventually prevailed after a competitive match, winning 6-7, 6-4, 10-8 in a super tie-break. The result gave Europe the first point of the Laver Cup 2026 before Nakashima answered for Team World.
With the score tied at 1-1, the opening day remained wide open heading into the evening matches.
More Laver Cup Action in London
The first day of the Laver Cup 2026 was scheduled to continue with two more matches during the night session.
Rafael Jodar was set to face Alexander Bublik, while the doubles schedule featured an intriguing matchup involving Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik against Alexander Bublik and Taylor Fritz.
The combination of singles and doubles matches is central to the Laver Cup format, with players representing Team Europe and Team World rather than competing under their individual national teams.
Laver Cup 2026 Score Update
After the opening two matches, the Laver Cup score stood:
Team Europe 1-1 Team World
Ruud’s victory put Europe in front, while Nakashima’s debut win immediately restored parity. With several matches still to come, the battle for points was only beginning.
The early results have already provided a competitive start to the Laver Cup 2026, with both teams showing they can respond under pressure as the London event continues.
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