GENEVA: Jack Sock and Nick Kyrgios paired up to defeat Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas as Team World cut Europe’s lead to 7-5 heading into the final day of the Laver Cup in Geneva.
Sock and Kyrgios won Saturday’s doubles 6-4, 3-6, 10-6 after Nadal defeated Milos Raonic in his first match since his US Open triumph in the singles.
Nadal, who won his 19th Grand Slam title in New York, had earlier overcome Canada’s Raonic 6-3, 7-6 (7/1) after defending eight break points in the first set. Roger Federer, who won his first match alongside Alexander Zverev in Friday’s doubles tie, beat Australian Kyrgios 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 10-7 to the delight of his 17,000-strong home crowd.
Bjorn Borg’s holders had seen Team World draw level with John Isner’s victory over Zverev. Isner fought back from a set down to beat Zverev 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 10-1 and haul Team World level at 3-3 after Europe led by two points after the opening day.
The scoring system sees one point awarded for each win on the first day, two points given for each victory on the second day, and three points on offer in each match on Sunday’s final day.