Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal beat Jack Sock of the USA at the Laver Cup. The 16-time Grand Slam champion narrowly beat the American 6-3 3-6 11-9. Sock fought and resisted but ultimately fell short. Nadal has kept his perfect record against Sock. Previously, the 31-year-old beat Sock four times at the ATP level. In five matches played against Nadal so far -- Sock forced a decider -- but couldn't clinch the win.
Nadal of Team Europe gave his side a comfortable 7-1 lead at the Laver Cup in Prague. On Friday, Europeans Marin Cilic, Dominic Thie, and Alexander Zverev booked three wins in as many singles matches.
Sock and Nick Kyrgios put Team World on the board, beating Nadal and Czech Tomas Berdych in the doubles match. A win on Friday brought one pointy while a win on Saturday handed two points.
Sock fought until the end
Nadal converted his break point of the match to open a 3-1 lead. However, Sock broke back immediately but lost his serve once again in the following game. Nadal, who saved a break point at 4-2, managed to close out the first set, eventually.
Nadal was quick to break Sock at the beginning of the second set. Sock, who was trailing 2-1, broke Nadal twice in a row as he won four games in a row. The Spaniard stopped Sock's run in the eighth game, but that was all, as Sock went to force a decider.
Sock opened the super tie-break on a good tale, winning the first point. Nadal then dominantly won the next five points to open up a 5-1 lead. Sock fought back later from an 8-5 deficit and saved a match point at 9-8, but couldn't beat Nadal in the end at the Laver Cup.
Kyrgios comes up clutch
Australia's Kyrgios found a way to avoid losing to Czech Berdych at the Laver Cup.
The 22-year-old had to create a comeback in order to beat the Czech 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 10-6. Berdych was close to ending on the winning side but fell just short in the end.
Berdych took the most out of the break earned in the opening game of the match. Kyrgios saved two break points in the fifth game to keep it a one-break deficit.
However, Berdych held on routinely to his serve to close out the opener.
Kyrgios was pressing Berdych early on in the second set. But, the Czech resisted, as he saved three break points. Kyrgios saved a break point opportunity in the 11th game before the set went into a tie-break. Berdych, who had a 4-2 tie-break lead, lost five points in a row and the set, eventually.
Both players held on to their serves in the super tie-break until the 12th point. Kyrgios' mini-break gave him a 7-5 lead. Kyrgios sealed the win after he took his second mini-break, which came in the 16th point. Kyrgios fired 18 aces and won 80 percent of his first serve points against Berdych.
Kyrgios fired 18 aces and won 80 percent of his first serve points against Berdych.
On the other side, Berdych hit also 18 aces, won 86 percent of his first serve points, and saved each three Kyrgios' break point chances. But, in the end, it wasn't enough for the home-favorite player in Prague. An hour and 45 minutes of play between the two was the case.
Querrey and Sock couldn't back up Kyrgios' win
Kyrgios gave Team World a much-needed win. The Australian's victory made it 7-3 in favor of Team Europe. However, Kyrgios' fellow teammates Sam Querrey and Sock failed to deliver later on. Roger Federer and Nadal beat Querrey and Sock in the doubles match to give Team World a 9-3 lead entering the final day of the Laver Cup.
