Team World trails Laver Cup defending champion Team Europe 7-5 going into the final day of the 2018 competition and must win three of four remaining matches…but the home side will take it. After all, things could be much worse. Captain John McEnroe’s squad fell behind 7-1 after Roger Federer beat Nick Kyrgios on Saturday evening, but World took the last two contests (Kevin Anderson in singles plus Nick Kyrgios and Jack Sock in doubles) to get back within striking distance.
Friday results
Grigor Dimitrov (Europe) d. Frances Tiafoe (World) 6-1, 6-4
Kyle Edmund (Europe) d. Jack Sock (World) 6-4, 5-7, 10-6
David Goffin (Europe) d. Diego Schwartzman (World) 6-4, 4-6, 11-9
Kevin Anderson and Jack Sock (World) d. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic (Europe) 6-7(5), 6-3, 10-6
Saturday results
Alexander Zverev (Europe) d. John Isner (World) 3-6, 7-6(6), 10-7
Roger Federer (Europe) d. Nick Kyrgios (World) 6-3, 6-2
Kevin Anderson (World) d. Novak Djokovic (Europe) 7-6(5), 5-7, 10-6
Nick Kyrgios and Jack Sock (World) d. Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin (Europe) 6-3, 6-4
Sunday
Roger Federer and Alexander Alexander Zverev (Europe) vs. John Isner and Jack Sock (World)
As expected, captain McEnroe has made the smart move to put Sock in every singles doubles match this weekend. Make no mistake about it: Sock is quite simply the best doubles player on the planet. He is 2-0 in doubles so far in Chicago and he is now teaming up with arguably the best server in tennis history. Of course, they have to go up against Federer (and Zverev), so it won’t be easy.
Roger Federer (Europe) vs. John Isner (World)
Isner appeared to be on his way to beating Zverev in Saturday’s first singles match, but the German mounted a comeback and beat the 6’10” American in a super-tiebreaker. Federer, who crushed Kyrgios on Day 2, leads this head-to-head series 5-2. They have not faced each other since 2015.
Alexander Zverev (Europe) vs. Kevin Anderson (World)
Zverev has won all four of their previous meetings, but of the three singles matches on Sunday this Team World’s best chance. Anderson has been red hot in 2018 and he is 2-0 at the Laver Cup, with a doubles win over Federer and Djokovic plus a Saturday singles upset of the reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion.
Novak Djokovic (Europe) vs. Nick Kyrgios (World)
Kyrgios played in the finale last year and lost an epic against Federer. Will his team still be in contention going into the fourth and final rubber, thus giving him a shot to make amends? If so, it will be an incredibly fun one–and surely dramatic. Both players are coming off singles setbacks on Saturday, so that will only add to the motivation.
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