Federer, Nadal win as Team Europe maintains two-point Laver Cup lead

September 21, 2019 Ricky Match recaps 58

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are shouldering the load for Team Europe at the Laver Cup.

What’s new?

Nothing is new, and neither is the Europeans finding themselves in control of this annual team competition. Federer and Nadal won a singles matches for the home team’s only points on Saturday, leaving it with a two-point lead over Team World heading into finale Sunday.

The visitors started the day in victorious fashion, as John Isner edged Alexander Zverev 6-7(2), 6-4, 10-1.

“I wasn’t making any inroads on his serve and he was the better player for 85 percent of the match,” Isner admitted. “Once I got up 5-4, I had a lot of momentum and that showed in the match tiebreak. Maybe we’re turning the tables. Team World is in this and we’re here to win it.”

Isner’s underdog squad will need a huge effort on Sunday in order to win it–taking at least three of the four matches, to be exact. That’s because Federer and Nadal won the next two singles matches on Saturday.

Federer overcome Nick Kyrgios 6-7(5), 7-5, 10-7, while Nadal got the best of Milos Raonic 6-3, 7-6(1).

“I was hoping it was going to be like this,” Federer commented. “It was amazing. It was tough to lose that first set. I needed to get some energy, so I was just trying to stay with Nick because if you can turn it around, you can get the crowd behind you. I need some earplugs for the next match.”

The next match saw Nadal face break points in each of his first three service games. The reigning French Open and U.S. Open champion saved all of them and eventually earned two breaks of his own to run away with the opening set. One break for each man led to a tiebreaker in the second, which Nadal won in routine fashion.

“Being here for me is a very positive energy,” Nadal said. “I like being around such a great team and the crowd is amazing…. I feel very lucky [to have won] the first set. I started to play better later in the match and I think I played a very good tiebreak in the end.”

Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas lost the doubles nightcap to Kyrgios and Jack Sock 6-4, 3-6, 10-6. Thus the score is 7-5 Europe, meaning Team World must win three matches on Sunday to lift the cup for the first time in three tries. If Nadal and Tsitsipas had won the doubles, Team World would have to win three matches on Sunday just to tie and force a decisive doubles tiebreaker.

24 Comments on Federer, Nadal win as Team Europe maintains two-point Laver Cup lead

  1. Nadal has no business playing LC AFTER THAT GRUELING FINAL THAT LEFT HIM WITH CRAMPS THAT HE COULDNT EVEN PUT HIS PANTS.

    Can’t believe some people are defending his horrible decision. Nobody is telling Rafa what to do but as a fan you can show concern for silly decisions. He has inflammation in his hand bc of playing LC and you guys are defending this? I give up.

    Playing a useless pointless tournament to appease Federer and fans at the expense of ur health n fitness is not logical period.

    We should just agree to disagree. Why isn’t he playing the two matches today. He should just play again since it’s a wonderful decision to play LC.

    Reply

    • Well I certainly hope that this does not end up being a serious injury. Nothing is worth damaging Rafa’s health. I know he likes playing LC, but at this point in his career he needs to think about health first.

      Rafa needing an infiltration yesterday to play, is not a good thing. Neither LC or number one is worth Rafa risking his health. For once I want Rafa to be ready for the 2020 AO. Does anyone think it’s worth it if he is not ready for it?

      I was worried about something happening to Rafa after that USO final. He can’t play five hour slam finals anymore. All I know is that the 2020 AO is the most important thing.

      Reply

    • Happy, I fully agree with you re: your last statement: health is the most important thing to consider. But Rafa surely knows this, too😉 I cannot imagine that he would’ve even shown up for LC if there was any danger to aggravate an already existing injury. So, let’s hope that Rafa and his team knew what they were doing.

      Reply

  3. Kyrgios also our so that opens up for Team World. Thiem vs Fritz the first singles so Team Europe has good chances of winning this. The momentum now goes back to Team Europe I feel.

    Reply

  5. Thiem still very much a clay court player despite having a good enough serve. He’s clearly not in the league of Rafa, who successfully conquers the other non clay surfaces.

    Let’s see will he be something like a Ferrer, who can play well on the HCs too despite being a clay courter.

    Team World, despite their rankings, could still make a match out of almost all their matches played so far, perhaps Team events bring out the best from them, punching above their weight.

    If Thiem loses this match, Fed and Sasha really have all the pressure on them to win their matches! Without Rafa, things seem to get quite complicated for Team Europe (I strongly feel that Fedal would win the doubles had they played against Sock/Isner).

    PS. What’s going on with Kyrgios? Shoulder issue? Seeing Rafa is not playing so he is also not going to play?

    Reply

    • This LC sure is a bit chaotic today! I don’t quite understand what the article tries to say. What exactly is Johnny Mac complaining about? Team World’s chances have gone up considerably because of Rafa’s withdrawal. And since Thiem lost, they only need one more win!

      Reply

      • Heh. It’ll probably come down to Zverev v Raonic. What a laugh!

        I’m having trouble believing that NK is actually “injured”. I think he got “injured” in his “motivation” once Rafa pulled out. NK really, really wanted to pick up an easy win over Rafa under conditions that benefit NK.

        Johnny Mac was bitching mostly because it’s what he does best. He was happy enough until HIS player pulled out. Having two players pull out on the final day just wasn’t something the rules foresaw so you play by the agreed on rules. Case closed.

        Fed breaks Isner. Woohoo! Go Fed!! I’m American but the only player on TW I have any use for is Shapo so I’m still rooting for TE. Otoh, it would probably be a good thing for LC if TW wins for a change. I think Fedal will live with the disappointment.

        Reply

        • I was actually rooting for Team World from a certain point onwards, because they were the absolute underdogs, and it would be good for LC if Team World would pick up a trophy, too, once in a while. If you look beyond the Big Three, most of the promising young guns are from Europe. It looks like Team World will have a disadvantage for quite a while, although it will be less lopsided without the Big Three.

          Reply

  7. Fed n Rafa told Sasha the last match can turn your season around..wow..it was a pressure situation n Sasha needs to take it from here ahead..

    The best part of the cup was undoubtedly Rafa n Rogers camaraderie n the changeovers coaching

    Reply

  8. Yes Sasha good boy! Hes just so calm and ready for the challenge and he does it for Team Europe!
    Well done!

    And well done Team Europe! Rafa will be very very happy!

    Sasha speaks well during his on court interview after the match, I feel he has shown a level of maturity and confidence that Tsitsipas hasn’t reached yet. I hope Sasha’s career turn around for the better after this LC.

    Reply

    • I understand that Fedal were giving Sasha some pep talk in the locker room just before Sasha’s third set TB; no wonder Sasha looked so calm and ready. I love Rafa telling Sasha “no one negative face”! Priceless! And Sasha won the third set TB to win it for Team Europe!.

      Reply

  9. I love Thiem, his actions are just so sweet and cute, such a nice guy. I like the Team Europe guys!

    Tsitsipas (and Fritz) will learn a lot from this event, I think Thiem and Sasha love this event after participating twice or thrice now.

    Congrats to Team Europe.

    Reply

  10. Congratulations to Team Europe! Sascha Zverev really came through in that third set super TB! Nice to see him get rid of the demons and win this for his team. Fed and Rafa were great coaches on the sidelines, encouraging Zverev. Great advice from them about this match turning it around for him.

    Happy for the team, happy for Zverev. The celebration was great!

    Rafa was really happy! Take care of that hand! Relax and get married! ❤️

    Reply

      • I agree that the excitement and cheering and coaching may be over-the-top – especially as far as the “old guns” are concerned. I simply cannot imagine that winning this trophy means all that much to them, although they certainly seem to have fun. But at the end of the day it’s still just an exhibition, and they sell their product well 😉
        However, I do believe that the younger players are truly excited and enjoy to be together with the more experienced players. And as far as I could see from the highlights, everybody really tried to win. The overall contest was very competitive.

        Reply

        • I wonder how this event will age. Will it become more prestigeous overtime? Will it really develop into the Ryder Cup of tennis? Or will it fade away as soon as the Big Three have retired from active tennis?
          Atm the main selling point of LC is observing the interactions of Fedal up close and the hope to see them team up as doubles partners. Unfortunately this only ever happened in 2017, and there won’t be many more years left in their active career for teaming up once more. Personally I think that the popularity of LC will go into a steep nose dive as soon as Fedal is history. Even Novak has not quite the same star power in most countries, although he clearly deserves more reckognition and respect. But it’s not possible to force something as emotional as fan adoration.

          But all this may well be true Not just for LC but for tennis in general, since atm there aren’t any big young stars who will be able to draw in the more casual tennis fans. My hope is that some of the young guns will be able to develop more appeal and charisma when they finally can step out of the shadow of the Big Three.

          Reply

          • Kyrgios the villain? Medvedev the witty bad guy? Tsitsipas the elegant Fed like player? FAA and Shapo the aggressive and athletic players? And Sasha now the LC hero for Team Europe?

            I think let them start with their home events, I’m sure for Shapo and FAA for examples, they’re popular at the Canadian masters. I think as these young guns rise in the rankings, they’ll attract attention especially at their home events.

            Medvedev won the St Petersburg title on Sunday with the whole arena cheering for him. I think after his USO heroics, he’s getting lots of attention back home.

            We can’t compare them to Fedal, but they too attract attention from tennis fans. With so many promising next gen guys each having their own followers though admittedly not as huge as Fedal’s, I feel tennis should be in good hands after Fedal and Djoko retire.

            We may not see huge hard core fanbase the likes of Fedal’s again, for only Fedal have such charisma to attract such huge loyal followings and for so long.

            The fanbase may then be more diversified and spread out among the various players.

  13. All true, and I will certainly not stop watching and caring for tennis. And we witnessed this year the development of a few interesting story lines. The incredible streak of Medvedev is the most prominent one.
    There won’t be anything as popular as Fedal or the narrative of the Big Three’s hunt for the GOAT. But the Big Three are a once-in-lifetime occurence. The younger players have to write their own history. Btw, even Fed and Novak needed a certain amount of time before they developed into unique characters. Only Rafa started right aways with a bang and confirmed that there was plenty of substance behind the early hype. This is even rarer. Only John McEnroe, Bjørn Borg, Boris Becker and to a certain degree Pete Sampras annonced themselves so early, although none of them managed to last as long as the Big Three.

    Reply

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