(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

BOSTON (AP) The pandemic-delayed fourth edition of the Laver Cup - and first without Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic participating - began Friday with Casper Ruud giving Team Europe a 1-0 lead over Team World by beating Reilly Opelka.

Ruud, a Norwegian ranked 10th, broke Opelka, an American ranked 19th, in the match's third game and again to end the opening set along the way to producing a 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory on a hard court at the arena used by the NBA's Celtics and NHL's Bruins.

Opelka, whose game is built on his big serve and forehand, said afterward the setup "suits him better than me" and described it as "slow and dead."

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