Team Europe reclaimed the Laver Cup with a 13-5 victory over Team World at London’s O2 Arena when Alexander Zverev maintained his composure to serve out a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Learner Tien and win the event for a sixth time.
The first set was a tight affair and Tien staved off three breakpoints at 5-5 with some spectacular shots which brought the crowd alive. Although he forced a tie-break, he could not maintain the high level in the most important moments. At 5-3 up Zverev chased a lob down and retrieved it up high, but Tien came forward and missed his overhead to give the German a triple set point – which he took with an unreturned serve. Europe were now only a set away from the Cup they surrendered last year.
The second set was much more straightforward with Zverev breaking to go 4-2 ahead and unlike in his match against Alex de Minaur when he failed to serve out from a winning position, kept his nerve to see his team over the line once more, having done the same in Chicago, Geneva and Boston.
“I haven’t won a Laver Cup match in two years, so I’m happy I did it today,” said Zverev. “It was still an incredibly tough match, credit to Learner as well. Massive credit to the entire Team World. They pushed us all the way again. They were champions last year. This year, I think we had a great team. We have a great team chemistry. It was a team effort.”
Meanwhile Jakub Mensik and Flavio Cobolli joined forces and recovered from a slow start to overcome Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-3 to put Europe one match away from victory.
The European pairing went 2-4 down but broke back with a brilliant forehand drive volley by Cobolli and they grew in confidence before breaking again to take the first set. With the scores at 5-3 30-30 in the second set and Mensik serving, Cobolli produced some excellent reflex volleys at the net which even vice-captain Tim Henman was impressed with. An unreturned serve on the next point sealed the match.
“It’s the third year I came to the Laver Cup and I had never won a match, so I’m really happy,” Cobolli said on court. “It happens here in London where I love to play, especially with one of my best friends [Jakub] on Tour. I am really happy.”
Mensik, who won both his doubles this week having partnered Carlos Alcaraz on Friday evening, also added: “It’s a great feeling, a great start for us. We didn’t start well, especially me on the serve. I struggled to find my rhythm. The first few games, we were the worst ones on the court. Then we got into it and started to feel more comfortable. For me in doubles, the more I play, I’m getting better.”
