Zverev edges Tiafoe in thriller to take Laver Cup down to the final match

Alexander Zverev produced a performance full of resilience and heart as he beat Frances Tiafoe 6-7 (5), 7-5, 10-5 in Berlin on Sunday to ensure that this year’s Laver Cup will go down to the last match.

The German was a set and a break down at 4-2 in the second but raised his game when he needed to clinch a crucial victory to reduce Team World’s lead to 11-10.

Carlos Alcaraz will take on Taylor Fritz in the final match to decide the outcome of the match.

“It was a win or die tie for us,” Zverev said. “I knew I had to put a lot of energy in. My team helped a lot, with a lot of great coaching and the stadium was great today, one of the best atmospheres I ever played in. So special that it is in Germany.”

Tiafoe snatches first set

Zverev had admitted he was feeling a little off colour, after he lost out to Taylor Fritz on Saturday and he was breathing hard throughout as Tiafoe tested him.

The German served brilliantly to keep himself in contention and had chances to break Tiafoe in the opening set. But Tiafoe always came up with something special when he needed it and after snatching the first set on the tiebreak, he grew in confidence.

Zverev finds a way back

A couple of incredible returns gave him an opportunity at 2-2 in the second set and he used his nous to move Zverev around the court and then showed off his athleticism to put away a high jumping forehand volley to secure the break.

At 4-3, Tiafoe was just two games away but with Boris Becker watching on, Zverev suddenly found his game. Standing closer to the baseline, he attacked off the return and broke back to love to level the set at 4-4.

The German was now the player in control and finally, after a series of missed opportunities, partly due to Tiafoe’s ability, Zverev got the break to win the set and force a match tiebreak.

Tense match tiebreak

Both players were tight and each had an early mini-break in their favour. But an untimely slip from Tiafoe at 5-5 allowed Zverev to get his nose in front and he extended his lead to 9-5 before getting over the line when a Tiafoe groundstroke sailed long.

Day 1 results (each victory = 1 point):

1. Cerundolo (World) b. Ruud (Europe): 6-4, 6-4 | World 1-0 Europe
2. Tsitsipas (E) b. Kokkinakis (W): 6-1, 6-4 | World 1-1 Europe
3. Dimitrov (E) b. Tabilo (W): 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2) | World 1-2 Europe
4. Fritz/Ben Shelton (W) b. Zverev/Alcaraz (E): 7-6 (5), 6-4 | World 2-2 Europe

Day 2 results (each victory = 2 points):

1. Tiafoe (World) b. Medvedev (Europe): 3-6, 6-4, 10-5 | World 4-2 Europe
2. Alcaraz (Europe) b. Shelton (World) : 6-4, 6-4 | World 4-4 Europe
3. Fritz (World) b. Zverev (Europe) : 6-4, 7-5 | World 6-4 Europe
4. Shelton/Tabilo (World) b. Tstisipas/Ruud (Europe) : 6-1, 6-2 | World 8-4 Europe

Day 3 results (each victory = 3 points):

1. Alcaraz/Ruud (Europe) b. Shelton/Tiafoe (Europe): 6-2, 7-6 (6) | World 8-7 Europe
2. Shelton (World) b. Medvedev (Europe): 6-7 (6), 7-5, 10-7 | World 11-7 Europe
3. Zverev (Europe) b. Tiafoe (World): 6-7 (5), 7-5, 10-5 | World 11-10 Europe