Zverev rallied late, but Fritz sealed victory as Agassi’s energized Team World lifted the trophy in a thrilling duel
San Francisco
Taylor Fritz powered Team World to victory at the Laver Cup by defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4). The win secured a 15-9 triumph for Team World, marking their third title in four years.
Fritz had already stunned Carlos Alcaraz the previous night for his first career win over a world No. 1. His back-to-back victories against Top 3 players earned five crucial points for his team. Against Zverev, Fritz dictated play early with sharp groundstrokes, breaking through in the second set before sealing the contest in a tense tiebreak.
Zverev, who appeared limited at the start, found his rhythm late, but Fritz raised his level to close out the match. The high-quality duel ended with Team World lifting the trophy under new captain Andre Agassi. The American legend, in his first appearance as captain, brought visible energy from the sidelines.
“Seeing Andre on the bench cheering so hard made it impossible not to give everything I had,” said Fritz, crediting the team atmosphere for his inspired performance.
Earlier in the day, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud gave Team Europe brief hope. However, Alex de Minaur’s straight-sets win over Jakub Mensik left Team World just one victory away. Though Alcaraz kept Europe alive with a later singles win, Zverev’s loss to Fritz ended the contest.
De Minaur’s earlier victory had already given Team World a commanding 12-6 lead. The Australian showed grit, saving three break points in the final game before closing out his win. With Fritz’s finishing touch, Team World celebrated another dominant chapter in Laver Cup history.