Taylor Fritz was able to beat Alexander Zverev once again, this time at the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin.
It was a rematch of their recent US Open match, which Fritz won comfortably. It was a chance for Zverev to show what he learned because he famously bemoaned his level from that match, calling it very poor.
It was certainly quite an exciting clash because both players gave it their all. It was a hugely important match for the competition, as the score was tied at 4-4 before the match, and two points were on the line.
Both teams are getting closer to the 13 points needed to win the competition for one of the teams. Fritz started better as he had early break points. The American was quite aggressive and, at times, overwhelming for his opponent.
It was similar to what happened in their US Open match, where the German player played far too passively, something Roger Federer told him not to do if he wanted to win a Grand Slam title.
He knows that, but old habits die hard. While the German was able to navigate those tricky moments, he found himself against the wall, down 4-5. On return, the Team Europe player failed to produce any pressure, and down 4-5, he faced break points.
Not one, not two, but three straight, and he couldn’t wiggle out of that situation. Fritz broke his opponent's serve and sealed the opening set 6-4, which was hugely important for him and the match.
Both of them enjoy playing when up front, even though Zverev is no stranger to completing comebacks. He fought back well in this match, because he broke first at the start of the second set.
Despite facing two break points, Zverev held for the 3-1 lead, which greatly boosted his confidence. He needed every bit of that, as his Team World opponent looked unshakable in his approach, and the match was hugely important for both teams.
Fritz had minor chances in the sixth game of the second set, but Zverev handled it well. His serve helped tremendously, especially in crucial moments, which didn’t happen in the first set.
Fritz kept pushing and eventually broke back, making the match even more interesting, but Zverev wouldn’t give up that easily. Despite losing momentum completely, the home crowd favorite had a break chance at 5-5 to take a 6-5 lead, but Fritz held his serve.
A monumental game was coming up for the German, who needed to hold, but it didn’t start well as Fritz won the first point. Zverev made it 30-30 but allowed a break point to Fritz, who was once again the more decisive player.
Ultimately, this match came down to which player was more decisive, and most of the time, it was Fritz. He attacked with a forehand that landed on the line, winning the match. The final score was 6-4, 7-5, as Team World took a 6-4 lead in the 2024 Laver Cup.
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