Laver Cup

[jimlosaltos]

I resisted to the last day, but must post on the Laver Cup Berlin.

There are things that happen in team competition that you simply don't see in normal, singles tournaments. And the Laver Cup, for whatever reason, seems to amplify these team interactions. For example, Europe came into today way, way down 4-8 I think to World, and you have scenes like this (translated by a Russian viewer online):

Meddy screaming to Zverev in Russian: "You are better than him! (pause) He is worse than you!" just before Zverev finally converted a set point to take the second set against Tiafoe.

Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Zverev -- leaping and cheering for each other {is this an alternate reality?} Zverev tops Tiafoe in third set tiebreak and we're all even. It's down to Alcaraz vs Fritz to decide everything. But I'm not sure Carlos has enough energy left to actually play, he's yelling, jumping, falling on his back looking up at the monitor ...

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[jimlosaltos]

Here are the two benches, live web cam via YouTube

Europe https://www.youtube.com/live/cITk39L...8O0-qfdy0qgdbX

World https://www.youtube.com/live/3_q7eqb...Xa2_xOc6fAciMI

[jimlosaltos]

Team Europe comes from behind to defeat Team World as Carlos Alcaraz closes it out with a 2 and 5 win over Taylor Fritz.

Casper Ruud, despite being much maligned for losing in earlier doubles, teamed with Alcaraz to send the event to the final singles match by topping Shelton/Tiafoe 6-2, 76(6)

So Bjorn Borg goes out a winner over world captain John McEnroe & team. Some things are going right in the world.

Here's a great anomaly for you: Daniil Medvedev, despite having 20 titles, had NEVER won the same tournament twice. The Curse is broken.

Today, Medy won his second title as a member of Team Europe-- despite losing EVERY one of his matches in those two wins.

Sometimes, you can't win for losing, others you can lose your way to victory.

Europe won 3 of 4 matches today, with World's Tiafoe coming out on the losing end twice, once in doubles the second to Zverev, both loses ending in tiebreaks.

Sidebar: Much of the Team Europe banter was in Russian, since half the team speakers Russian.

[jimlosaltos]

Cross posting from "6 Kings ... " thread since, for some reason, the Laver Cup is getting discussed there, at least its value and viability.

My positive take for anyone that is interested:

~~~~~~~~~

There are certainly questions post Fedal playing in the Laver Cup.

On the other hand Fed's & Godsick's Team8 is incredible. The Laver Cup sells out its good tickets everywhere, despite playing sites the ATP says can't support tournaments. And, frankly, at egregiously high ticket prices.

I went to the second one, Laver Cup Chicago, where they sold out the United Center at 21,000 people. Granted, we saw Fedal doubles, sort of like ornithologists spotting a rare bird. <g>

It was fun. Much of tennis ( Cough IMG ) seems to have forgotten that tennis is entertainment. The format is great, dynamic fast moving.

As for the players not caring --- sorry but in my opinion that is 100% wrong. If you saw Fritz, Medvedev, Alcaraz jumping and screaming for their team mates today, you'd know the team format brings out something special. { And as I mentioned earlier, seeing Tsitsipas and Medvedev cheering for Zverev is a surprise you won't see anywhere else }

And one of the absolutely highest-quality best of 3 matches I've ever seen, albeit on TV, was Fed coming from behind to beat Nick Kyrgios at the Laver Cup. Listening to Rafa coach Fed in that match was special: "He sees the ball so well. But you're ahead in rallies of 5 shots or more."

As the winners of that early round match hugged and jumped - Kyrgios sobbed in the background as ( forget who) came over to hug and console him.

Yes. They care.

P.S. I went to the same group's charity event "The Match for Africa" where they sold out 18,000 seats at the Shark Tank in San Jose. This after the ATP killed one of the longest-running tournaments in the US history, supposedly because it didn't draw well enough -- and moved it to Rio. But Fed/ Godsick sold out matches there with such as Fed with Bill Gates vs Jack Sock with Savannah Guthrie. And it was fun.

[stroke]

Well I have to admit there were some very good matches this year at Laver Cup. Zverev comeback vs Tiafoe was something. Both played great and clearly wanted to win. Alcaraz showed again just how good he is taking out an in form and playing great Fritz. Ben Shelton played great all weekend. His serve is scary. I sure would love to know his rpms on his kick serve. I would certainly guess no one gets more spin on it than him. And the crowds were huge and it certainly had a great atmosphere.

[stroke]

https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/boris-becker-we-re-experiencing-a-tennis-boom