SEPT 20 - 22, 2024 | BERLIN
Jack Sock and Nick Kyrgios powered their way to a doubles win over Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin to keep the Team World comeback on track heading into the final day of Laver Cup 2018.
Team Europe will take a 7-5 lead into Sunday’s remaining matches, with three points on offer for every win and 13 required to take the trophy.
The blue side could have had one hand on the trophy, however, after building a 7-1 lead in Saturday’s afternoon session thanks to singles wins for Alexander Zverev and Roger Federer.
World captain John McEnroe needed a positive response in the evening session and he got just that as first Kevin Anderson stunned Novak Djokovic in singles, before the electric combination of Sock and Kyrgios sealed a 6-3 6-4 victory in the doubles over David Goffin and Grigor Dimitrov.
The American-Australian pair had spent much of the day rallying their teammates from the sidelines and they carried that energy onto court, celebrating, chest-bumping and high-fiving at every opportunity.
Dimitrov and Goffin might have produced less fireworks but the European duo were almost as effective in the early stages, earning five break points in the opening set without being able to make the breakthrough.
A fierce Sock forehand clinched the only break of the set for 3-1 and the red pairing defended their lead with some brilliance around the net, plus the odd moment of luck, Kyrgios celebrating wildly after one net cord went his way.
A fightback was required in the second set after Sock double-faulted on break point, but the World pairing hit straight back and then moved ahead at 4-3, sparking a Kyrgios chest-bumping spree with everyone on the Team World bench.
It fell to the Australian to serve it out and, after a nervy double fault on the opening point, a sublime Sock volley brought up match point, which Kyrgios converted with a heavy forehand that Goffin could only net.
“It helps that Kevin won, that’s for sure,” said Sock. “We’ve had a lot of opportunities this weekend and had some heartbreaking losses, so for Kevin to bring out a huge win like that just brought out more energy for us.”
Team World is going to come out tomorrow and take the Cup, for sure – Nick Kyrgios
“It’s my favorite event,” Kyrgios told the crowd. “I knew it was going to be awesome playing in front of you and Team World is going to come out tomorrow and take the Cup, for sure.”
RED ALERT: ANDERSON TAKES OUT DJOKOVIC
