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Zverev seals Laver Cup for Team Europe

By The Assam Tribune

CHICAGO, Sept 24: Europe retained their Laver Cup tennis crown here on Sunday as Alexander Zverev defeated Kevin Anderson to complete a 13-8 win over the World team.

Germany�s Zverev came from a set down to complete a 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 10-7 win over Anderson as the Europeans successfully defended the title won in Prague last year.

�It was such a close match all around, not only this one but all weekend, a few points here and there and it could have been different,� said Zverev.

�I�m just happy to get the win and we defended the title, that�s the most important thing.�

Zverev�s win was the final act of an enthralling day of action at Chicago�s United Centre, where the World team had roared back into contention in the day�s first rubber.

American duo John Isner and Jack Sock fought off two match points to defeat Zverev and world number two Roger Federer in a gripping doubles battle.

Isner and Sock prevailed 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 11/9 to give the World team an 8-7 lead with the three singles rubbers remaining.

Europe responded superbly after that early setback however, with the 37-year-old Federer returning to secure a vital three points against Isner in the first singles match of the day.

The Swiss ace came from a set down to defeat the big-serving Isner 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 10/7.

The win was testimony to Federer�s remarkable physical conditioning. The 20-time Grand Slam singles champion outlasted Isner less than an hour after he had been beaten in the day�s opening doubles game. Federer celebrated the win by performing push-ups on court with his team-mates to the delight of the crowd.

Europe skipper Bjorn Borg meanwhile praised the performance of the World team, who were captained by his old rival John McEnroe.

�I�m very proud of my team, we knew it�s going to be very difficult to beat Team World with John as the captain,� Borg said. �He has a great team, they�re very professional.� The next Laver Cup, which is named after Australian legend Rod Laver, will be staged in Geneva in September 2019. � AFP

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