Taylor Fritz delivered the decisive blow at the Laver Cup on Sunday, defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4) to complete a 15-9 victory for Team World over Team Europe and reclaim the men’s team competition crown in San Francisco.
It was Team World’s third triumph in the event’s eight editions, following consecutive successes in 2022 and 2023. Jubilant celebrations erupted at the Chase Center as captain Andre Agassi’s squad secured the title.
“We’re going to have a fun night.. champagne in the locker room is coming soon,” Fritz said. “The energy from the team makes winning feel even better and losing so much worse. You’re doing it for all these guys. I always feel I play my best tennis in a team environment. Seeing them fired up, and seeing a legend like Andre cheering, makes it impossible not to give everything.”
Team World had built a commanding 9-3 advantage after sweeping Saturday’s matches, though with three points on offer per win on the final day, Europe remained in contention with four rubbers left to play.
Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud gave Europe a strong start, defeating Alex Michelsen and Reilly Opelka 7-6(4), 6-1 in doubles. But Australia’s Alex de Minaur restored Team World’s momentum by beating Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-4 to extend the lead to 12-6.
Alcaraz then kept European hopes alive with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win over Francisco Cerundolo, closing the gap to 12-9. That left Zverev with the chance to tie the contest and force a deciding doubles set, but Fritz held firm to seal the championship.
The 2026 edition of the Laver Cup will be staged at London’s O2 Arena.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Comments are closed.