SAN FRANCISCO: Taylor Fritz defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to secure Team World’s victory in the Laver Cup on Sunday, overcoming two wins by Carlos Alcaraz that proved insufficient for Team Europe.
Fritz sealed the triumph with a backhand volley winner on his first match point, giving Team World a 15-9 victory and sparking celebrations among teammates and captain Andre Agassi at the Chase Center.
“The energy from the team, it just feels the moments of winning feel so much better, the moments of losing feel so much worse because you’re doing it for all these guys,“ Fritz said.
The fifth-ranked American added that the team atmosphere greatly motivated him, having also beaten Alcaraz on Saturday when Team World swept all four matches to build a 9-3 lead.
Fritz dominated the opening set against a visibly tired Zverev, who improved in the second set but still found himself down a break and trailing 4-3.
Zverev finally created his first break points of the night and converted his third opportunity to level the set at 4-4, delighting his European teammates and captain Yannick Noah.
A quick hold from Zverev forced Fritz to serve to stay in the set, which he did to love before they contested a tiebreaker that Fritz won after building an early 3-0 lead.
Alcaraz had kept Europe’s title defence hopes alive with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 victory over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, fresh from his sixth Grand Slam title at the US Open.
The Spanish star and Casper Ruud had earlier reduced Europe’s deficit with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 doubles victory over Reilly Opelka and Alex Michelsen to open Sunday’s action.
Australian world number eight Alex De Minaur then beat Czech Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-4 to push Team World’s lead to 12-6, with 13 points needed to claim the Cup and each Sunday match worth three points.
De Minaur, a late replacement for Frances Tiafoe on Team World, had secured two wins on Saturday by beating Zverev in singles and succeeding again in doubles.
Team World reclaimed the title they lost to Europe last year in Berlin, marking their triumph in the event co-created by Swiss great Roger Federer.
Europe has won five of the eight editions of the tournament, which will be held in London next year. – AFP