Add Category
Frances Tiafoe returned to haunt Team Europe with a dazzling win over Stefanos Tsitsipas to give Team World its first Laver Cup title, ending Roger Federer's hopes of finishing his career by lifting another trophy.
- Tiafoe saved four match points against Tsitsipas before roaring to the win
- His Team World had been staring down a fifth-straight defeat in the event
- Federer said he was "disappointed" but would return next year to cheer on from the sidelines
Two days after he and Jack Sock beat Federer and Rafael Nadal in a tearful farewell for the Swiss great at London's North Greenwich Arena, American showman Tiafoe saved four match points against Tsitsipas before roaring to a 1-6, 7-6 (11), 10-8 victory.
Tiafoe's win, worth three points for his team, gave John McEnroe's Team World an unassailable 13-8 lead, having started the day trailing 8-4 and staring at a fifth straight defeat in the event co-founded by Federer.
Team World enjoyed a super Sunday as Canadian young gun Felix Auger-Aliassime stunned 21-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Earlier, Auger-Aliassime had partnered American Sock to a 2-6, 6-3, 10-8 win against Briton Andy Murray and Italian Matteo Berrettini.
Tsitsipas had the chance to take the match to a deciding singles match, but Tiafoe showed tremendous guts to save four match points in a gripping second-set tie-break.
The American had the pro-Europe crowd in raptures, and his teammates off their feet, with some extraordinary shot-making in the so-called Laver Breaker.
And when Tsitsipas hit the net on match point, Tiafoe collapsed to the court and was immediately buried under a pile of his red-shirted teammates and captain McEnroe.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said Tiafoe, who reached the US Open semi-final.
"Jonny Mac was dropping f-bombs all week saying we need to get it down this year.
"It wasn't just me but I showed a lot of heart to get this done. I was getting my ass kicked for a while but I kept going. This is big, we're going to celebrate big tonight."
McEnroe was ecstatic at finally getting his hands on the trophy and getting one over on old rival Björn Borg, captain of a Team Europe side that were big favourites.
"No-one beats Team World five times in a row," McEnroe said.
"Felix stepped up big time... Frances is prime time, we saw that at the US Open. This is an incredible team event and I'm loving every second of it."
It was not the ending Federer had dreamed of in the last event of his 24-year professional career.
Apart from playing his last-ever competitive match, he sat courtside in every match, offering his words of wisdom and support to his teammates.
"Of course I'm disappointed," the 20-time grand slam champion told reporters at the end of an emotional weekend.
"I was on the team. Almost lost my voice. My hands hurt from clapping. I told Andy [Murray] in the locker room, I don't like losing. It's not fun.
"This weekend has been all over the place for me. I enjoyed it, but it's unfortunate that we couldn't get the win tonight."
Federer also spoke on court after the match, saying he would return next year to support both teams "from a different position".
Tiafoe, beaten heavily by Djokovic the previous evening, was making no apologies to Federer for being the pantomime villain.
"Absolutely not. I'm not going to apologise to him. He's got a lot to apologise after the last 24 years after beating everybody on the tour," Tiafoe, clutching a beer, said.
"But I will say thank you for having me in this amazing event, for what he's done for the game. He's a class act. Happy to know him, happy to call him friend, happy to call him a colleague, and best wishes in his second act."
Team World will be aiming to retain their title next year when the event takes place in Vancouver.
Reuters/ABC