German tennis player Alexander Zverev beat fellow rising star Denis Shapovalov at the Laver Cup. The German outclassed the 18-year-old in a tight match 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5). The 20-year-old recently beat the Canadian at the Montreal Masters this past August.
Zverev of Team Europe gave his side a 3-0 lead over Team World following his win over Shapovalov. Earlier on Friday, Zverev's fellow teammates Marin Cilic and Dominic Thiem defeated USA's Frances Tiafoe and John Isner. Team Europe beat Team World in all three singles matches played on the opening day of the Laver Cup.
Zverev saved crucial set point
Zverev had two consecutive break points early in the first set. However, Shapovalov managed to save those break points in the third game. Shapovalov had a 5-4 lead and a set point on Zverev's serve, which he didn't convert. The German opened up a 6-1 tie-break lead and comfortably closed out the set.
Shapovalov saved three break points in the second set to tie it up at 4-4. Zverev again pressed Shapovalov two games later, but the Canadian managed to save four match points. As no breaks of serve were seen, the second set also went to a tie-break. Both players were tied at 5-5 when the German won two points in a row to seal the win.
Zverev won 85 percent of his first serve points and didn't lose his serve once at the Laver Cup.
The German failed to convert any of his nine break point tries but didn't pay the price. The match came to an end after an hour and 51 minutes of action.
Kyrgios and Sock 'show up'
Rising Nick Kyrgios and Jack Sock "saved the day" for Team World. Kyrgios and Sock edged Spain's Rafa Nadal and Tomas Berdych, 32, in the doubles match.
Kyrgios and Sock prevailed over Nadal and Berdych in a three-setter 6-3 6-7 (7-9) 10-8. Kyrgios and Sock broke Nadal and Berdych in the sixth game of the first set. Kyrgios and Sock saved a break point in the following game to open up a 5-2 lead. The duo routinely served out for the set in the ninth game.
Kyrgios and Sock saved two break points early on in the second set.
As no breaks of serve were seen, the set went into a tie-break. Berdych and Nadal blew a 6-4 lead but eventually won the tie-break to force a decider. Both teams were tied at 7-7 in the super tie-break when Kyrgios and Sock won three points in a row to clinch the win.
Team Europe now has a 3-1 lead over Team World at the Laver Cup. Three more singles matches and one doubles match are set to be held on Saturday, and there will be two points up for grabs. A win on the deciding day, Sunday, will have three points up for grabs. The first team that collects 13 points will be the winner.
