Grigor Dimitrov and Kyle Edmund won their opening matches Friday to give Team Europe a 2-0 lead over Team World going into the night session on day one of the Laver Cup.
Dimitrov cruised past Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-4 while Edmund had a tougher time beating World’s Jack Sock 6-4, 5-7, 10-6.
Dimitrov used his precision backhand to keep Tiafoe off balance as he closed out the match with his 10 and final ace. The Bulgarian hammered 27 winners to just seven for Tiafoe.
“It’s pretty nice to play indoors – no sun, no wind,” Dimitrov said. “When you get in a good rhythm you just want to follow it. I think today that’s what I did.”
This is the second instalment of the Laver Cup, which has been dubbed the Ryder Cup of tennis although it lacks the tradition of golf’s premier team event.
The exhibition event is taking place on US soil for the first time and features 12 of the world’s top players squaring off against each other in a three-day team event in Chicago.
Bjorn Borg’s favoured Team Europe are trying to defend their crown against Team World, which is captained by the legendary John McEnroe.
Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Dimitrov, David Goffin and Edmund make up Team Europe.
Sock, Nick Kyrgios, John Isner, Tiafoe, Kevin Anderson and Diego Schwartzman are representing Team World.
