Taylor Fritz outshines Alexander Zverev in Laver Cup thriller: Team World takes lead again

A notable Taylor Fritz secured a victory against Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-5 at the Laver Cup, putting Team World ahead 6-4. It was a crucial match for both teams, as their top-ranked players faced off.

The first set was tight, with both players showing strength on the return in the early games. They both saved break points in their first service games but then settled in, with Fritz especially dominating on his serve.

Sascha had the crowd's full support, and despite having a better first serve percentage (75% compared to Fritz’s 50%), the American's defense troubled Zverev. Fritz attacked with crosscourt forehands, outpacing his opponent in longer rallies. At the critical moment, Zverev lost his serve to love, and Fritz claimed the set 6-4 after 47 minutes.

The world No. 2 improved his serve even more in the second set and appeared to take control after breaking Fritz in the first game, bringing some relief to Zverev. However, Fritz didn’t back down. Midway through the set, Zverev began experiencing breathing difficulties and was seen coughing. He had to check his insulin levels during a changeover, as the German has had to inject insulin since childhood due to diabetes.

This affected Zverev’s play, leading to a couple of crucial unforced errors. He had a chance to break again but made an incredible mistake at the net during a point he was dominating, allowing Fritz to hold serve. A similar situation occurred in the eighth game, where Zverev missed with a break point against him, and Fritz leveled the score at 4-4.

The last part of the match saw Zverev physically and mentally decline, while Fritz signaled to McEnroe on the bench that he was experiencing pain in his left arm. Nevertheless, the American managed to break his erratic opponent and ultimately secured the 6-4, 7-5 victory.

Team World takes a 6-4 lead in the series and will look to extend their advantage in doubles ahead of the final day. With a left-handed duo, Ben Shelton will take to the court alongside Alejandro Tabilo to challenge the pair of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud.