Tie-break master Berrettini bests Auger-Aliassime at Laver Cup as Team Europe gets back to lead

| by Balasz Virag

After Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe sent Roger Federer to the retirement with a loss, Team World levelled the score of the 2022 Laver Cup to 2-2.

Right after his final career match, the Swiss Maestro withdrew from the event and so he was replaced by Matteo Berrettini who took on Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first match on Saturday. On Day 2 of the Laver Cup, two points are awarded for each victory and so both youngsters were looking to add the same amount as their colleagues added yesterday and send their team into the lead.

Rafael Nadal withdraws from Laver Cup due to personal reasons
Rafael Nadal withdraws from Laver Cup due to personal reasons

Usually, both players are used to fire dozens of aces, but it wasn't an ace fiesta in the O2 Arena, due to very slow conditions. Throughout the first set, fans in London saw only one break point opportunity, which was left unused by Auger-Aliassime and so it had to be decided in a tie-break.

For a second, it seemed that players forgot that they are supposed to play only a regular tie-break and not a match tie-break which is played instead of the third set if the score is tied. It was especially Berrettini, who had six set points before eventually winning the first-set tie-break 13-11 and getting the important lead.

Yet, his opponent fought back in the second set with an early break. The Canadian got a break already in the third game and never gave his opponent a chance to take the advantage away for him as he cruised towards a 6-4 win in the second set.

Berrettini didn't want another tie-break as in the first set and so he started a six point streak after the first three rallies. After that, he found himself 7-2 up and with solid serving, he never lost his lead despite the best efforts of Auger-Aliassime.

So after more than 2 hours, the Italian sent Team Europe to a 4-2 lead as there are three more matches to be played on Saturday. After Rafael Nadal also withdrew from the event, he was replaced by Cameron Norrie who will play against Taylor Fritz in the next match.

2022 Laver Cup Prize Money revealed with each player getting at least 125,000€
2022 Laver Cup Prize Money revealed with each player getting at least 125,000€

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