Germany’s Alexander Zverev beat South African Kevin Anderson 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 10-7 as Team Europe completed victory over Team World on the final day of the Laver Cup exhibition event in Chicago.
Roger Federer also beat John Isner 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (10-8) 10-7 as Europe retained the trophy 13-8.
Earlier Federer and Zverev had lost their doubles rubber to Isner and fellow American Jack Sock.
Europe led 7-5 overnight, with three points for a win on the final day.
That meant Isner and Sock’s opening 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 11-9 win in Sunday’s doubles edged Team World in front 8-7 before Swiss great Federer, the world number two, and Zverev, world ranked five, swung things decisively in Europe’s favour.
Zverev’s victory, from a set down to Wimbledon finalist Anderson, spared Novak Djokovic a final singles rubber against Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, the Serbian US open champion having lost his first two matches of the competition on Friday and Saturday.
“I’m just happy to get the win and we defended the title,” the 21-year-old Zverev said after the event.
“I mean, Roger [Federer] is not a good coach, but we will leave that,” he joked.
“No, he helped me a lot, he gave me some tactical advice and it worked because I won the second set and then the match tie-break.
“It was such a close match all around, not only this one but all weekend – a few points here and there and it could have been different.”
The European team was led by Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg, who said: “It’s been an unbelievable week. I’m very proud of my team – we knew it was going to be very difficult to beat Team World.”
Team Europe won the inaugural tournament in Prague last year. Next year’s competition will take place in Geneva from 20-22 September.
Source: BBC
