Carlos Alcaraz edges Taylor Fritz in dramatic Laver Cup thriller

Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points to defeat Taylor Fritz 6-3, 4-6, 13-11 at the Laver Cup. Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev then beat Alexander Bublik and Brandon Nakashima in doubles as Team Europe moved 7-5 ahead

London: Carlos Alcaraz saved two match points en route to a 6-3, 4-6, 13-11 victory over American Taylor Fritz, while Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev defeated Alexander Bublik and Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 7-6(7) in doubles to put Team Europe 7-5 ahead of Team World at the Laver Cup on Saturday.

A year after Fritz humbled Alcaraz at the Laver Cup in San Francisco, a pivotal result that helped Team World win the title, Alcaraz got his revenge as the 23-year-old Spaniard downed the American in a classic, 6-3, 4-6, 13-11, levelling the Day 2 team score at 5-5.

Facing one of the tour’s biggest servers, Alcaraz opened the match with a break when he sent a picture-perfect lob beyond Fritz’s reach. With his 28-year-old opponent serving to stay in the first set at 3-5, Fritz faced two break points, but Alcaraz failed to convert them.

Alcaraz dug himself a 0-40 hole at 1-all in the second set, and Fritz pounced on the opportunity. The Californian later served out the set at 5-4, forcing yet another 10-point tiebreak.

Alcaraz raced ahead 5-1 in the match tiebreak, flashing his drop-shot prowess and all-court speed. But Fritz held his ground and fought back to set up a pair of match points at 10-9 and 11-10, only to have them erased.

Then, on his own third match point at 12-11, Alcaraz sealed the one-hour, 50-minute thriller with, fittingly, another drop shot.

“Every time I smile, it feels like I’m having fun and I’m relaxed. When that time comes, it’s when I play my best tennis. It’s important to accept the moment, even if it’s break point down or 6-all in the tiebreak. You have to accept those moments,” Alcaraz said.

Later, Ruud and Zverev teamed up to give host Team Europe a 7-5 advantage with a 6-4, 7-6(7) doubles victory over Team World’s Bublik and Nakashima.

“It was nerve-wracking watching every match,” said Ruud. “Sometimes it’s almost better to play than watch from the sidelines. Luckily, we avoided another match tiebreak. It was a great team effort to get two wins in the night session for Team Europe. We definitely needed it after two tough losses.”

“I’m very happy with the team effort,” Zverev added. “Carlos kicked it off with probably the most important win of the weekend. I’m very happy we finished the day with a win as well.”