Team Europe capped a dominant campaign in Boston with a doubles victory first up on Sunday to win its fourth straight Laver Cup.
Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev beat Team World’s Reilly Opelka and Denis Shapovalov 6-2 6-7(4) [10-3] – a result that earned Team Europe an unassailable 14-1 lead over the hosts at TD Garden.
In the four-year history of the competition it is by far Team Europe’s most commanding victory over Team World.
Introducing the #LaverCup 2021 champions, Team Europe. pic.twitter.com/paHh5GVqQW
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 26, 2021
The Laver Cup is an international indoor hard court men’s team tennis tournament between Team Europe and Team World, the latter of which is composed of players from all other continents except Europe.
Held annually since 2017, the tournament is intended to be the Ryder Cup of the tennis world. It normally takes place two weeks after the US Open, with the location rotating between different host cities; alternating yearly between European cities and cities in the rest of the world.
The comprehensive 14-1 result was secured 6-2, 6-7(4), 10-3 in the opening clash on Day 3 and capped a dominant outing for Captain Bjorn Borg’s line-up.
Even without the Big Three of Federer/Nadal/Djokovic, Bjorn Borg had assembled one of his most potent Team Europe lineups, one that featured no fewer than six Top-10 players, including reigning US Open champion and World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Matteo Berrettini and Casper Ruud.
All six would account for at least one win during the three-day showdown at TD Garden in Boston, the final score 14-1, the most one-sided victory in the four-year history of the event.
Let the Team Europe celebrations commence.#MoetMoment | @moetchandon | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/zh9lmc4CWC
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 26, 2021
Europe wins all four previous Laver Cup competitions
The Swede has won all four editions of the Laver Cup – in Prague, Chicago, Geneva and now Boston – and paid tribute to his playing cohort, all six of which won at least one match for Team Europe.
“I’m very proud, of course, to defend the title … they played great tennis,” Borg said.
“Of course, Team World, they have the home advantage here but… we have a good relationship, both teams. They’re going to play each other so many times… I love this team. What can you say? It’s been great tennis.”
Career change in progress?@steftsitsipas | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/fHnBfklpAd
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 26, 2021
Rublev, who earned a team-high six points for Team Europe after wins on all three days of the event said: “This year I had two really emotional moments. One one them was Olympic gold medal and this week is the second.
“I think we have amazing connection with all the guys. It’s something that’s gonna stay forever with me and be a special moment, and for sure I’m gonna miss this week a lot,” Rublev added.
“We battled our best,” John McEnroe, the Team World mentor, said.
“Team Europe is a great team, no question, incredible team. They had good team spirit. We did, as well. If you get a couple of different results, we could have put more pressure on them. But we just came up short in four tiebreakers. You win half those, it’s totally different story. We gave it our best, but they were just too good,” he added.
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