Team World on top after thrilling doubles win

John Isner and Jack Sock gave Team World the lead for the first time at Laver Cup 2019 with a spectacular win over Team Europe’s Roger Federer and Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday’s opening doubles match.

The American duo took their Laver Cup record as a pairing to 3-0 as they came through 5-7 6-4 10-8 in Geneva, collecting three priceless points for the red team.

Having trailed 7-3 at one stage on Day 2, Team World moves 8-7 ahead with three matches to follow – and a target of 13 points to take the trophy for the first time.

“It feels great, the energy’s amazing and we’ve got a lead,” said Team World Captain John McEnroe.

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It was the Tsitsipas serve that faltered first, a Sock return winner setting up two break points before a loose Federer volley gave World a 2-1 lead.

The lead lasted just one game, however, as Isner’s serve was broken to level things up and it looked to be heading for a tiebreaker until Europe made the decisive breakthrough in game 12.

An instinctive reactive volley from Isner early in the second set changed the momentum, a lone break enough to give World the second set, albeit after a dramatic final game that saw Europe miss chances to break back.

As ever, the match tiebreaker was a gripping, rollercoaster affair, with World making the key move with four straight points to go 7-4 clear.

Federer saved the first match point with a volley, but Tsitsipas could not control a big Isner serve on the second and Team World could celebrate another doubles success.