Taylor Fritz has enjoyed a successful Laver Cup doubles debut with a win alongside Ben Shelton for Team Europe.
Fritz praised captain John McEnroe before the tournament got underway, with the former then winning a big point for the latter on day one.
He and Shelton defeated Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev 7-6(7-5), 6-4 to leave Team World and Team Europe level at 2-2 after the opening day of action.
Shelton really wanted to play with Fritz, and his wish was granted as they overcame the European stars in straight sets.
Fritz is now competing in his fourth Laver Cup, having also played under McEnroe in Geneva, London and Vancouver.
Taylor Fritz reacts after Ben Shelton labels him a ‘veteran’
Shelton meanwhile made his debut in Vancouver last year, where the 21-year-old won all three of his matches.
A fourth success has now arrived alongside Fritz, although the youngster did cause a very slight moment of very light-hearted friction between the duo in their winning press conference.
“Taylor is a Laver Cup veteran, or a vet in general, so I’m not too worried about him being prepared for anything out there,” said Shelton, who after a brief pause turned to his partner and said: “I’m not calling you old.”
Laughing, Fritz responded: “Vet I don’t know, I’m not that old,” with Shelton replying: “My bad, sorry bro that was out of pocket.”
Fritz laughed it off, forgiving his Team World teammate, saying: “It’s okay.”
Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton see of Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev
At 26, Fritz is only five years older than Shelton, with the latter merely suggesting that the former boasts more experience than him, both within and away from the Laver Cup.
The duo clearly have a strong relationship on and off the court, having complemented each other’s games during the win over Alcaraz and Zverev.
A tough match was always going to be in store for the US pair, who were coming up against the world numbers two and three, with Alcaraz boasting two Grand Slam titles this year alone.
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Moreover, Zverev is a Laver Cup veteran with five appearances, while the German and the Spaniard were competing on home soil.
But superb serving from Shelton helped Team World come out on top after one hour and 35 minutes of high-intensity tennis.
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