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.

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

  2. Will this be like 2017, when Fedal won their doubles, then Rafa lost to Isner (lost to Kyrgios now) and Fed helped Team Europe won the Cup by beating Kyrgios (now Isner)?

    Fed always the hero while Rafa has to lose one singles to some big serving/hard hitting guy(s).

    Reply

    • Probably. Court favors Fed, location favors Fed, format favors Fed. What did you expect? That Fed would put Laver Cup on clay in Monte Carlo in a full Bo3 format?

      Reply

  3. Who’s talking about clay??

    I thought Sasha may play the first single, before Fed or Rafa, maybe they really don’t have much confidence in Sasha.

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  4. Lucky and Ramara, wait a minute – are you implying that LC is scripted in order to offer a tight and more interesting contest?? While the format is certainly favoring Fed – and all other big servers – I really don’t think that the matches themselves are staged. I don’t think the players would agree to participate if that would be the case.

    Reply

    • No, not that it’s prearranged who would win. I mean the arrangement is such that Fed always has the chance to save the team. Perhaps, it’s quick HC so Fed has better chance of winning his matches compared to Rafa.

      I was thinking, if they put Sasha first after the Fedal doubles, perhaps Team World may pitch Kyrgios vs Sasha, to more or less secure a win for Team World. Rafa may then face Isner in the second match, and I feel Rafa’s chances > vs Isner than Kyrgios. And if Fed is to play last vs Raonic, Fed will have good chances to beat Raonic to win the title.

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      • Or better, put Fed second vs Raonic, and he should be able to win, and then Rafa last vs Isner.

        I feel Kyrgios has better chances than Raonic to beat Sasha, so Team World may put Kyrgios vs Sasha if Sasha is to play the first singles, in case Team World loses the doubles.

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      • Well, It’s certainly possible that the pairings and the timing is arranged in a way which makes it possible that Fed will contribute the last points for the team. And if it’s a tight contest, this means of course that he may win the final match which seals the deal😉 Since LC is in Switzerland this year, that would certainly please the majority of the audience. I have no big problems with that, since it’s basically a show event, even if the matches themselves are not fixed. I’m actually fairly sure that especially the young guns fight thooth and nails for the win. For them it’s a great opportunity to learn a lot and get some public reckognition. A good showing increases their market value.

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  6. Why the heck is Rafa cramming so much tennis into two days after his exhausting season and the us open. An injury or a tweak here or there is not only going to hurt his chances at no. 1 this year but more importantly jeopardize his chances for next year…. keeps making the same mistakes year after year.. bemoans playing on hc and then plays four matches there for a tournament which has no returns in terms of points or honor or legacy🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

    Reply

  7. This is exactly what I have been saying since. Nadal never listens. Keeps making the same mistakes over and over and over again. He has a left wrist injury or whatever and he is still playing nonstop. Unbelievable. If he gets injured again seriously, he has only himself to blame as usual.

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  9. He may skip Shanghai to have a long break and gets married. I don’t think playing two singles and two doubles matches are that stressful, if after that he can have a long break.

    I doubt he’s repeating the same mistake as 2017 where he played Beijing/Shanghai B2B one week after Laver Cup. I guess that may be why he chooses to play LC.

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  10. I just checked the ATP website, apparently Rafa is not playing any matches on Sunday.

    His doubles with Fed is replaced by Tsitsipas and his match vs Kyrgios replaced by Thiem.

    I wonder what happened to Rafa.

    Reply

    • Sorry Luckystar, there’s nothing wise about that. He should have never played LC in the first place. Now he has inflammation of the wrist which wouldn’t have happened had he not decided to even come for LC. Very stupid decision.

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  12. I’m just so furious with Rafa now .inflammation they say…why did Rafa even do this..I mean this exhibition more imp than your health ..you are just surrendering your ye no 1 n next year ao .

    I am just mad now

    Reply

  13. He did not play with any protection yesterday..which was surprising…but he was playing ok..

    Rafa in interview said he played with infiltration yest n it’s not the wrist but the hand …he said it’s nothing new n he keeps feeling it at times..

    Rafa..you better not surrender the no 1..I’ll be really furious

    Reply

  14. Not the wrist. It is inflammation of the hand. Nothing really serious and will go away with rest

    I understand why Rafa played LC. He’s given us some precious moments this weekend!

    Rafa is WAY more careful now. What are you guys talking about?! Unless he is 100%, he won’t play Shanghai.

    Reply

    • Agreed VR.

      Rafa knows what he’s doing. He really loves playing the LC, he just loves such team events, so just let him enjoys such moments.

      We can see that he’s happy and cheerful about this whole thing, not worrying so much about his own hand/wrist injury. I don’t think it’s serious.

      BTW, I think Kyrgios plays better than Isner in the doubles as he moves better and has better strokes. I think Fed/Tsitsipas can win this match.

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      • Agreed! I am sure he has a right to enjoy these moments and not do what his fans want. I think he loves LC and his relationship with Roger Federer is also special and he wanted to stay true to his committment.

        I do think so much Fedal coaching has made Tsitsipas smarter in doubles. He is returning better today and showing better presence. He was a bit of a mess yesterday and put less than 50% serves back into play. The guy is very talented but he lacks the doubles experience.

        There you go! Team EUR takes set 1! Bravo Roger and Stefanos. And don’t forget the help from Rafa’s nonstop coaching lol.

        Have you guys noticed how aligned Rafa and Roger’s ideas/solutions are?! And how much Roger listens to Rafa? He is literally asking questions from Rafa at times! Shows you how much these two respect each other. These changeover exchanges are GOLD

        Reply

    • Yes, Rafa said ‘hand’ and he knows the difference, even in English! Thanks for the words of wisdom. Rafa and Roger have always known the difference between ‘rivalry’ and ‘enmity’ and share a strong interest in “what’s good for tennis” as opposed to what’s good for players or tournament owners or the ITF or ATP or TV. Tennis is bigger than all of them.

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  16. N what horrible scheduling .everyone wanted to see fedal together..n they made Rafa play 2 yesterday ..n robbed entire universe of watching fedal together

    Reply

    • Oh Shoot!! Really wanted to watch Fedal play doubles, absolutely beauty! Ying and yeng, lol!!!

      Its good Rafa is there for LC, he brings tons of energy to the thing! He coaches, he celebrates, he is good at pumping up his team. If Rafa and Fed were there while Zverev was playing yesterday he would have won that match against Isner!

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    • Please, Sanju, don’t be so obsessed with the No1 ranking!
      Rafa has every right to decide for himself if that is an important goal for him or not. If he values LC more than his ranking- good for him! Besides, he has good doctors who can tell him exactly if LC will make the inflammation worse or if it doesn’t really matter in the long run. He will have a good long break now, will get married – and then we will see if the No1 ranking is still on his bucket list or not. Personally I think that it is far more important that he has fun playing tennis ans is healthy for the next season, when he can fight for No 20😊 And if LC means having fun – so be it!

      Reply

  18. Gosh, Team Europe really misses Rafa. Tsitsipas clearly the weak link here in the doubles. Hope Fed can carry it till the end to win this tight doubles match, if not Team Europe will be in deep troubles.

    Reply

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