By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, September 22, 2024
Carlos Alcaraz fought off Taylor Fritz to clinch Team Europe's comeback conquest of Team World, 13-11, as the Blue Side won its fifth Laver Cup.
Photo credit: Maja Hitij/Getty for Laver Cup
Playing catch-up for much of this weekend, Europe relied on a pair of powerful rescuers to reclaim the Laver Cup.
In his competition debut, Carlos Alcaraz fended off US Open finalist Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5 in the decisive match clinching Team Europe’s inspired 13-11 comeback conquest of Team World to win the Laver Cup at Uber Arena in Berlin today.
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Two-time defending champion Team World was a couple of games from a Laver Cup three-peat as Frances Tiafoe took a one-set, 4-2 lead over Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
As Berlin fans chanted his name, Zverev rallied for a 6-7(5), 7-5, 10-5 win to maintain his mastery of Tiafoe, cut Team World’s lead to 11-10 and set the stage for Fritz vs. Alcaraz with the Laver Cup on the line.
Alcaraz accounted for six points today propelling this emotional comeback that saw the Europeans win three of the last four matches.
"I’m very proud of my team and what we did today," Europe Captain Bjorn Borg told Berlin fans. "If you look at this morning I thought we’re not gonna have a really good chance. But we came through…
"I’m gonna miss John a lot. For us we’ve been seven years. I remember when Roger called me and said You wanna be captain for Team Europe? And I was very happy to say yes. John, we’ve been having a good time even if you guys lost."
For the third time in history, the Laver Cup was decided by the final match and Alcaraz elevated to meet the moment.
When it was over, Alcaraz embraced his blue-clad teammates, trotted to the center of the court and unleashed a heart "Vamos!" to cheering Berllin fans.
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Two teams, three days, several living legends in attendance and some jaw-dropping shotmaking highlighted this Laver Cup weekend.
Ultimately, the highest-ranked players in the event—No. 3 Alcaraz and No. 2 Zverev—were too tough denying World a three-peat in the final matches for Team World captain John McEnroe and Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg.
The Blue Team raised its fifth Laver Cup in seven competitions—and first since Zverev and Andrey Rublev led Europe to a 14-1 thrashing of World at the 2021 Laver Cup Boston.
Legends Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Boris Becker were all in attendance among the packed Berlin crowd.
Team Europe was trailing 8-4 as the final day of play began with the 13 points the magic number to clinch the Laver Cup.
Alcaraz ignited and completed Europe’s comeback today.
The 21-year-old Spaniard partnered Casper Ruud to a 6-2, 7-6(8) doubles victory over Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe to close the gap to 8-7.
Shelton returned to court toppling world No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in a pulsating 6-7(6), 7-5, 10-7 conquest that put Team World one match win away from a Laver Cup three-peat.
Zverev and Alcaraz each elevated their play.
Conjuring the magic early, Alcaraz tapped the rare overhead drop shot for break point. Dancing around his backhand, Alcaraz rocketed a forehand winner down the line breaking for 2-1.
Though Fritz fired three aces in the opening game, he struggled to protect serve again in the fifth game. Hitting a swing volley, Fritz moved forward but Alcaraz dipped a pass the American could not handle breaking again for 4-1.
Out-maneuvering Fritz in running rallies, Alcaraz reeled off five straight games for a 5-1 lead before Fritz held.
The four-time Grand Slam champion cranked up a love hold to take a one-set lead after 31 minutes.
“He’s picking the ball off his shoes like ‘05 Federer,” Ben Shelton told Andrea Petkovic of Alcaraz’s first-set performance.
While Federer, Boris Becker and Ana Ivanovic watched from the front row, Alcaraz delivered all-court acumen to flummox Fritz, who was striking heavy shots but coming up short in running rallies.
The low-bouncing slow charcoal-covered court was an ideal stage for Alcaraz’s explosiveness and creativity on the move. Alcaraz broke again for a 2-1 second-set lead as a frustrated Fritz swiped his Head racquet off the court.
Credit Fritz for continuing to fight as Alcaraz operated at a lofty level. The Spaniard sprayed successive forehands as Fritz broke back for 4-all.
Serving with fresh balls, Fritz fired through a love hold to flip the set with a 5-4 advantage.
Resetting, Alcaraz sent a barrage of drives dive-bombing near the baseline giving Fritz little space to operate as he broke for 6-5.
Alcaraz served out the championship and set off the European celebration.
Alexander Zverev (Europe) d. Frances Tiafoe (World) 6-7(5), 7-5, 10-5
Late in the second set, Berlin fans were chanting “Sasha! Sasha!”
Home hero Alexander Zverev answered the calls with a stirring 6-7(5), 7-5, 10-5 victory over Frances Tiafoe.
A committed Zverev rallied from a one-set, 2-4 deficit slamming 12 aces against no double faults.
World No. 2 Zverev stopped Tiafoe for the eighth time in nine meetings cutting Team World’s lead over Team Europe to 11-10—and setting the stage for a winner-take-all-showdown between Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz with the Laver Cup on the line.
“It was win or die tie for us and I knew I had to put all my energy, all my efforts in, and the team helped me so much,” Zverev told Sam Smith afterward. “A lot of great coaching, a lot of great energy and also the stadium.
“The stadium was unbelievable today. One of the best atmospheres I’ve ever played in. So special that it’s in Germany as well. So I appreciate all the German fans and we’ve got one more to go.”
Playing from behind in the opening set, Zverev stamped a hold at 15 to force the first-set tiebreaker.
Tiafoe’s transition and net play is typically sharper than Zverev’s. Tiafoe showed it guessing correctly on a Zverev pass and blocking a backhand volley for 4-all.
Attacking behind a slice backhand approach, Tiafoe swarmed net and drew a netted pass for set point at 6-5.
Tiafoe torched his sixth ace out wide to close the 64-minute opening set with a bang—and put Team World one set away from a Laver Cup three-peat.
On pivotal points, Tiafoe didn’t wait for the moment to arrive—he tried to initiate it on offense. Tiafoe jammed a backhand return down the line for break point in the third game, but missed a backhand down the opposite sideline. Zverev held with a scream for 2-1.
Showing signs of stress, Zverev belted a ball into the crowd in the fourth game drawing a ball abuse violation from chair umpire Aurélie Tourte.
Proactive play—and shot variety—helped Tiafoe break first in the second set. Taking pace off a diagonal forehand, Tiafoe took Zverev completely off the court then followed a forehand down the line forward flashing a high volley winner to break for 3-2.
Tiafoe threw down an ace to confirm the break with a love hold for 4-2.
The French Open finalist wasn’t finished. Zverev broke back at love, leveling the set at 4-all, and inciting an eruption of cheering from Berlin fans.
Seeing the home hero right back in the match, fans were chanting “Sasha! Sasha!”
Serving to force a tiebreaker at 5-6, Tiafoe saved a couple of set points. Staring down a third set point, Tiafoe showed great guts dabbing a backhand drop shot winner.
On his fourth set point, Zverev had Tiafoe on the run and drew an misfired forehand breaking to take the second set, 7-5, and force the 10-point match tiebreaker.
In the final tiebreaker, Zverev struck with more conviction—and exploited a slip from Tiafoe to take charge.
The American opened the court with a forehand, but slipped and crashed to the court giving Zverev a wide open court which he exploited for the mini break and a 6-5 lead. Zverev zapped an ace for 7-5 and rode three straight Tiafoe errors to take a physical two hour, 34-minute test.
Zverev set the stage for Laver Cup debutant Alcaraz, whom the German calls the best in the world.
“In my opinion, he’s maybe the best player in the world,” Zverev said of Alcaraz. “This year he played unbelievable tennis. When he’s healthy, he’s for sure the toughest player to beat. I’m very happy he’s on our team right now.”
Ben Shelton (World) d. Daniil Medvedev (Europe) 6-7(6) 7-5, 10-7
Shaking off a disappointing doubles defeat, a spirited Ben Shelton was unbreakable in singles.
Shelton saved every break point he faced surging past Daniil Medvedev 6-7(6), 7-5, 10-7 lifting Team World to an 11-7 lead over Team Europe.
Shelton, who squandered two set points in the opening set, nearly doubled Medvedev’s winner total—27 to 14—and scored the only break of the match in the second set.
“I wanted to redeem myself after this morning,” Shelton told Andrea Petkovic afterward. “Two days in a row, the second match of the day has been the one that I came through.
“Obviously, I lost my singles yesterday and I didn’t want to come out of here winless. I felt I was playing too well so I really used my guys on the bench and the captain, John, of course, really helped me get over the line. Because I played a lot of matches this weekend, so I’m pretty cooked.”
Medvedev put a pair of drives into net to face 15-30 in the 12th game. In a corner-to-corner rally, Shelton worked his way forward, but nudged a forehand volley into net.
The 2021 US Open champion double faulted to give Shelton a set point then pumped an ace to erase it. Medvedev managed the set-point stress holding to force the first-set tiebreaker.
Clubbing a diagonal forehand, Shelton snatched the mini break and a 2-1 lead only to see Medvedev bunt a backhand pass down the line to get the mini break back. A running Medvedev rapped a superb forehand strike down the line for the mini break and a 3-2 lead. Medvedev cracked an ace out wide stretching his lead to 4-2.
Shelton responded with three points in a row sliding an ace down the middle for a 5-4 edge. A tremendous forehand return from Shelton danced at Medvedev’s feet forcing the error for double-set point.
An irate Medvedev spiked his Tecnifibre racquet off the black court and was very fortunate not to hit anyone, an action that would have incurred a default. Medvedev saved the first set point then dodged a second set point when Shelton went all in on a forehand down the line narrowly missing the mark.
A Shelton netted error gave Medvedev set point at 7-6. Shelton’s backhand went wide as Medvedev, from two set points down, snatched the opening set that looked to be in Shelton’s hands.
As Frances Tiafoe argued Medvedev should have faced a harsher penalty for the racquet toss, referee Gerry Armstrong clarified Medvedev was not defaulted because the racquet did not hit anyone after he bounced it off the court.
In the sixth game, Shelton made some sloppy errors to face triple break point—the first break points he faced in the match.
Digging in, Shelton scalded three first serves saving all three break points, including belting a backhand winner down the line to erase the third. Shelton saved a fourth break point on a netted backhand from the Russian. Punishing heavy forehands, Shelton saved all four break points holding for 3-all in a fierce stand.
Medvedev was forcing the American to play longer baseline exchanges. Shelton stood tall under severe stress again to hold for 4-all.
“I think for me it was just important to stay loose in those moments,” Shelton said. “I know I can serve my way and play my way out of tight spots. When I got a little tight at certain points in the second set I was like: Just hit a bomb.”
Defense helped Shelton score the crucial break. Fighting off a series of Medvedev forehands to his backhand, Shelton ripped a running forehand down the line for break point. A determined dig from the American forced Medvedev to play a routine overhead, but he badly bungled it into the bottom of the net as Shelton broke for 6-5.
Shelton served out the second set at love then stripped off his shirt ahead of the 10-point match tiebreaker.
Medvedev ran down a drop volley and whipped a backhand crosscourt to even the tiebreaker, 3-all.
The pair went nose-to-nose in a rapid-fire net exchange when Medvedev shoveled a forehand volley into net as Shelton went up 4-3. Medvedev got up quickly to a drop shot, but pushed his re-drop wide as World went up 5-3.
Attacking behind a forehand down the line, Shelton knocked off a backhand volley for 8-6 then earned match points pounding a serve down the T.
Medvedev saved the first match point with a backhand volley just inside the line.
On his second match point, Shelton crushed a crosscourt forehand drawing the error to close it. Shelton walked right over to the World bench and bellowed a victory scream firing up his teammates.
“You’re a f—king dog dude,” Taylor Fritz told Shelton after his committed comeback that put Team World ahead 11-7 and one win from its third consecutive Laver Cup.
Carlos Alcaraz/Casper Ruud (Europe) d. Ben Shelton/Frances Tiafoe (World) 6-2, 7-6(8)
Casper Ruud created major role reversal in today’s opening doubles going from humiliated to heroic overnight.
Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz and Ruud surprised Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 7-6(6) in today’s opening doubles to cut Team World’s lead over Team Europe to 8-7.
It was a dramatic turnaround for Ruud, who partnered Stefanos Tsitsipas in a lackluster 6-1, 6-2 loss to Shelton and Alejandro Tabilo last night. The former world No. 2 branded that defeat “embarrassing” but made up for it today partnering Alcaraz in a powerful performance.
“Humiliating last night. No chance,” Ruud told Mark Petchey in his on-court interview today. “I felt like I never played doubles before. Quite embarrassing honestly. So I went to bed. Carlos was eager to play. I said I don’t understand why.
“Because what he saw yesterday was not the best. But I’m happy he had faith. He does for sure Carlos is such a great guy, so fun to play with and he brought out the best in me today. Thank you Carlos.”
In his Laver Cup debut this weekend, Alcaraz imposed his net game, including an audacious angled drop volley winner.
Afterward, Alcaraz credited Laver Cup founder Roger Federer, seated in the front row with wife Mirka and Hall of Famer Boris Becker, for his shot-making prowess.
“When I hit it, no look, I felt so good,” Alcaraz said. “I’m not gonna lie, I felt so good…. “I think one of the first tennis players who pulled off this kind of shots make the impossible possible is Roger and I watched him many, many times unbelievable shots. Every kid wants to imitate him a little bit. That’s why I’m trying to bring in every practice and in every match try to bring some good shots in the match try to make the people enjoy tennis.”
Alcaraz finessed a fine angled drop volley as Team Europe drew first-break blood cracking the Shelton serve for a 2-1 lead.
The four-time Grand Slam champion saved a break point in the next game before Europe worked the volley game to break Tiafoe and extend its lead to 4-1.
Alcaraz served out the opening set with command.
Team Europe applied pressure in the 11th game. Shelton withstood the stress—and a fall over the sponsor signage on the side of the court—holding for 6-5.
Alcaraz streaked through a love hold to force the second-set tiebreaker.
An active Alcaraz poached successfully, pasting a volley down the middle to give Europe match point at 6-5.
A short Tiafoe volley erased the match point, but Shelton sailed a forehand long as Europe gained a second match point. When Tiafoe missed the mark with a two-handed backhand, Alcaraz and Ruud embraced sealing a strong one hour, 14-minute win.
Laver Cup Results for Sunday, September 22
Final Score: Team Europe 13, Team Europe 11
Match 12
Carlos Alcaraz (Europe) d. Taylor Fritz (World) 6-2, 7-5
Match 11
Alexander Zverev (Europe) d. Frances Tiafoe (World) 6-7(5), 7-5, 10-5
Match 10
Ben Shelton (World) d. Daniil Medvedev (Europe) 6-7(8), 7-5, 10-7
Match 9
Carlos Alcaraz/Casper Ruud (Europe) d. Ben Shelton/Frances Tiafoe (World) 6-2, 7-6(6)
Laver Cup Results for Saturday, September 21
Team World 8, Team Europe 4
Match 8
Ben Shelton/Alejandro Tabilo (World) d. Casper Ruud/Stefanos Tsitsipas (Europe) 6-1, 6-2
Match 7
Taylor Fritz (World) d. Alexander Zverev (Europe) 6-4, 7-5
Match 6
Carlos Alcaraz (Europe) d. Ben Shelton (World) 6-4, 6-4
Match 5
Frances Tiafoe (World) d. Daniil Medvedev (Europe) 3-6, 6-4, 10-5
Laver Cup Results for Friday, September 20
Team World 2, Team Europe 2
Match 4
Taylor Fritz/Ben Shelton (World) d. Carlos Alcaraz/Alexander Zverev (Europe) 7-6(5), 6-4
Match 3
Grigor Dimitrov (Europe) d. Alejandro Tabilo (World) 7-6(4), 7-6(2)
Match 2
Stefanos Tsitsipas (Europe) d. Thanasi Kokkinakis (World) 6-1, 6-4
Match 1
Francisco Cerundolo (World) d. Casper Ruud (Europe) 6-4, 6-4