New Delhi:
World number two Roger Federer edged past Team World's Nick Kyrgios in a super tie-break thriller to hand team Europe the maiden Laver Cup title in Prague on Sunday.
The Swiss Maestro clinched the decisive tie 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 11/9 to give Team Europe an unbeatable 15-9 lead. However, the 36-year-old Swiss legend struggled against the 22-year-old Australian who served brilliantly to win the first set on a single break.
When he finally broke Kyrgios halfway through set two, he yelled "Come on!" in relief, only to lose his serve again in the next game. But Federer used the system of the tournament he had founded -- forcing Kyrgios into longer exchanges, he edged him in the second-set tie-break, then came back from 8-5 down in the decisive super tie-break.
"I was ready to go. The boys played fantastic all weekend," said Federer. "We knew it was going to be tough."The start of their clash saw the controversial Kyrgios briefly kneel on the court in a gesture which sparked speculation that he was joining the ongoing protest against US President Donald Trump.
Team Europe, the odds-on favourites with five of the world's top seven players in their ranks, entered Sunday with a comprehensive 9-3 lead which narrowed as Jack Sock and John Isner beat Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic in the opening doubles rubber.
On Sunday, the winner of each rubber earned three points, against one on Friday and two on Saturday. Alexander Zverev then took Europe within sight of the trophy by beating Sam Querrey in straight sets, but world number one Rafael Nadal missed his chance as he lost to big-serving John Isner in straight sets.
Sock and Isner beat Berdych and Cilic 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (8/6) with Sock's vicious forehand leading the charge on the American's 25th birthday.In the day's second rubber, a break in each set was all German youngster Zverev, the world number four, needed to beat 16th-ranked American Querrey 6-4, 6-4 in their first-ever encounter.
Isner's moment was yet to come as the world number 17 edged Nadal, this year's French and US Open champion.Nadal lost his serve in game one with a double-fault before Isner's errors helped him draw level in game ten, but Isner broke back at once and finished the set with the help of two second-serve aces in the last game.
He then swept Nadal in the second-set tie-break after both held on to their serves. Skippered by Bjorn Borg, Team Europe also comprised Dominic Thiem, while Frances Tiafoe and Denis Shapovalov played for John McEnroe's Team World earlier in the tournament.
