Laver Cup Tennis Betting Tips

The Laver Cup returns to The O2 this weekend, with the London venue hosting the competition for a second time. Its previous edition there, in 2022, was marked by Roger Federer’s retirement. Team Europe have won five of the eight Laver Cups, but Team World have taken three of the last four and arrive as defending champions after a 15-9 victory in San Francisco last year.

Six players represent each team across three days of singles and doubles, and everyone must play singles at least once by the end of Saturday. Wins earn one point on Friday, two on Saturday and three on Sunday, with 13 needed for the title. If a match is level after two sets, a 10-point tiebreak decides it. A 12-12 overall tie after all scheduled matches are complete triggers a one-set doubles decider.

Carlos Alcaraz is the biggest draw in Yannick Noah’s side, although his fitness remains a question mark. A wrist injury kept the Spaniard out from April until the US Open, where he reached the quarter-finals before losing to Ben Shelton in five sets.

Alcaraz will not play singles on Friday, but he is scheduled to headline the night session in doubles alongside Jakub Mensik. They face Taylor Fritz and Alexander Bublik, with Mensik and Bublik both playing for the second time that day. Alcaraz and Mensik won their opening doubles match together at last year’s event.

Europe can also call on Alexander Zverev, who has won both the French Open and US Open this season. He is absent from Friday’s line-up, leaving Casper Ruud to open the competition against Francisco Cerundolo before Mensik faces Brandon Nakashima. Rafael Jodar then meets Bublik in the first match of the evening session.

Tipster Ben Smith has four bets for day one, with odds taken from BetMGM, one of the top tennis betting sites.

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Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo

Cerundolo leads Ruud 5-4 in their head-to-head, and the surface here makes even prettier reading. He has won their last three hard-court meetings in straight sets, including two indoors. One was at the 2024 Laver Cup, where he beat Ruud 6-4, 6-4 on the opening day.

For what it’s worth, Cerundolo also got the better of Ruud indoors in London at last year’s Ultimate Tennis Showdown. That result does not count towards their official head-to-head, and UTS uses a different scoring format, but it adds to a favourable record in these conditions.

Ruud withdrew from the US Open with a back injury and only returned to competition in last weekend’s Davis Cup tie against China. He won twice on his preferred clay surface, though both opponents were ranked outside the top 800. Outside those matches, he has won just two singles contests since Roland Garros.

Cerundolo also played twice in the Davis Cup last weekend, winning both matches on indoor hard courts. He arrives with recent match practice in conditions much closer to those at The O2, while Ruud must switch from clay and prove he is back to full fitness in what has historically been a tough match-up for him.

Tip: Cerundolo to win at EVS with BetMGM.

Jakub Mensik vs Brandon Nakashima

Mensik arrives in London after helping Czechia knock the USA out of the Davis Cup last weekend. He lost to Learner Tien for the second time this month in his opening singles match, but responded by beating Ben Shelton the following day to keep his country in the tie.

Mensik has spoken about how much he enjoys playing for a team, and his previous Laver Cup appearance gives him experience of this setting. Nakashima, by contrast, is making his event debut.

Nakashima enjoyed a superb summer, but it ended with a straight-sets defeat to compatriot Alex Michelsen at the US Open. He has also won only three of his last 12 indoor matches. Against a confident Mensik, this looks a difficult opening assignment for the American.

Tip: Mensik to win 2-0 at 8/5.

Rafael Jodar vs Alexander Bublik

Few players have had a busier year than 2026 breakout star Jodar, who is closing in on the world’s top 10 and sits just outside the top eight in the Race to Turin.

He has played 66 matches this season, however, and that workload may have caught up with him at the US Open, where Bu Yunchaokete stunned him in straight sets in the first round.

Bublik has played 20 fewer matches and is a proven threat on indoor hard courts. Against an opponent who may be feeling the effects of a long campaign, the value lies with the Kazakh.

Tip: Bublik to win at 7/4 with BetMGM.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jakub Mensik vs Taylor Fritz and Alexander Bublik

Alcaraz and Mensik won together at last year’s Laver Cup, and Noah’s decision to reunite them looks a sensible one.

Mensik is capable in doubles, winning the US Open mixed alongside Karolina Muchova. Alcaraz has a 3-1 doubles record at the Laver Cup and, importantly for him following his recent wrist injury, will not have played singles earlier in the day.

With an established partnership on one side of the net and a new Fritz-Bublik pairing on the other, Europe look backable in the final match on Friday’s schedule.

Tip: Alcaraz and Mensik to win 2-0 at 16/5.

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