Laver Cup: Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Nick Kyrgios for the first time
Small preliminary decision in favor of Team Europe at this year's Laver Cup: Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Nick Kyrgios in two sets and made it 4-1 for the Europeans.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Sep 25, 2021, 08:43 pm
In the first round, Stefanos Tsitsipas showed right from the start that he had come onto the pitch with the ambition of stepping off the pitch victoriously in the third meeting with Nick Kyrgios. The Greek secured an early break and quickly moved away to 4-1. That should be enough for the world number three to win the first set safely - with 6: 3 Tsitsipas gained the advantage in the fifth match of this year's Laver Cup.
After Tsitsipas missed a chance early in the second set to make things clear, the Greek was offered another chance in the fifth game of the second round. And the world number three also knew how to use this, with a fine return winner Tsitsipas punished his opponent's attempt to risk a serve-and-volley with the second serve. The decision in this match, Tsitsipas could not be taken away from the advantage - had to fend off some break chances of the Australian - but made the two set 6: 3 and 6: 4 after an hour and a half in front of the injured Roger Federer -Success perfect.
With this, Team Europe has already been able to gain a strong cushion after the first five matches, all previous singles went to the favorites, who are already 4-1 in the lead. Only Alexaner Zverev and Matteo Berrettini had to admit defeat in doubles to John Isner and Denis Shapovalov. Of the first three individuals, the Europeans were also able to win two wafer-thin in the champion tie-break, which is played at the show event instead of a third set.