LONDON – Quebec’s Félix Auger-Aliassime added a singles win over Novak Djokovic to his doubles victory earlier Sunday and set the stage for the international team’s victory at the Laver Cup.
After his two wins, Auger-Aliassime gave the international team a 10-8 lead. Then American Frances Tiafoe came from behind to beat Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 1-6, 7-6 (11), 10-8.
Tiafoe’s victory gave the international team an insurmountable 13-8 lead, which captured the Laver Cup for the first time in its history.
Auger-Aliassime, 22, defeated 21-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic 6-3, 7-6(3) thanks to 13 aces and a 39-11 advantage in overall stroke winners.
The win followed the three-day final doubles match, in which Auger-Aliassime and Jack Sock came from behind to beat Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini 2-6, 6-3, 10-8.
Murray, who has three Grand Slam titles, received treatment after cutting his right leg in the loss.
“It was a bit strange in the first game (against Djokovic) but after that I felt really good, really relaxed,” said Auger-Aliassime, who had his best run at a major tournament at the United States Open. last year when he reached the semi-finals. Getting that win (in the doubles) gave me real confidence for the singles. »
Wins are worth three points each on Sunday. The first team to score 13 points wins top honors.
That meant Tiafoe, who reached the semi-finals of the US Open this month, could clinch victory for the international team by beating 2021 French Open runner-up Tsichipa in the penultimate match.
The European team kicked off this year’s competition at the O2 Arena having won all four previous editions of the Laver Cup, which was founded by Roger Federer’s management company.
Sock teamed with Tiafoe to defeat Federer and Rafael Nadal on Friday in the final match of the 41-year-old Federer’s career.
Djokovic won both singles and doubles on Saturday in his return to action after winning Wimbledon in July. That helped the European team take an 8-4 lead going into Sunday’s games.
