The three-day competition wrapped up action at the hands of world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who edged American No. 1 Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5 in the last match of the 2024 venue, completing a stellar debut showing, helping Team Europe win back the Laver Cup in Bjorn Borg final year as the men in blue Captain.
“We did it for you,” Alcaraz said to Captain Borg before hugging the Swede, celebrating their championship.
“It’s great, we came here with a goal, all of us, to win the Laver Cup,” he added during his on-court interview.
“We almost lost, you know, but Sascha [Zverev] came with really good tennis and gave me the chance to win the Laver Cup; we are really, really happy with everything.”
"We are really, really happy with everything."
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 22, 2024
Carlos Alcaraz made the most of his opportunity to win the Laver Cup for Team Europe.#LaverCup pic.twitter.com/SE87ZnD9dj
Overall, the Spanish star won 8 points, the most points a player has earned for his team in a single edition of the prestigious event.
It is fair to say he came, saw, and conquered, gracing the black court on the final day, playing doubles and singles, winning both encounters showing nothing but excellence.
With one goal in mind, Alcaraz and his teammates went the distance to capture the championship, making a team effort to remember.
Previously, the local hero Alexander Zverev came back from a set and a break down to defeat Team World Frances Tiafoe 6-7(5), 7-5, 10-5 after two hours and 34 minutes, claiming a hard-fought, crucial win to keep Team Europe hopes alive into a final decisive matchup.
“It was a win-or-die tie for us, and I knew that I had to put all my energy and effort in, and the team helped me so much with a lot of great coaching,” asserted the German player.
“The stadium was unbelievable today, one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever played in and so special that it’s in Germany as well.”
It was a resilience masterclass from the 27-year-old who saw the first set slipping away 7-6(5) when the American player closed out with an ace.
Within one set of winning the Laver Cup, Tiafoe stayed the course, opening a 4-2 advantage, and when all seemed said and done, the home hope broke to level up 4-4.
The lead vanished, giving way to a roar that ignited the stadium. Zverev would resist and persist, fighting his adversary and himself to even the tie, forcing a match tiebreak he would eventually take 10-5.
“I had to fight for myself, for the team, everybody in the stadium, and I’m glad that I came out with the win,” he said.
Earlier, former world number one Daniil Medvedev clashed against American Ben Shelton, who took the better of the 28-year-old, producing an electrifying comeback victory 6-7(6), 7-5, 10-7 to extend Team World lead to 11-7, one win away from the trophy.
Doubles action set off the final day in Berlin with the men in blue Alcaraz/Casper Ruud notching an encouraging 6-2, 7-6(6) victory over Team World pairing Shelton/Tiafoe to narrow the gap 7-8 by adding three points to their team tally.
Team World sealed Day 2 action with a solid 8-4 lead ahead of Sunday.
Captains Borg and John McEnroe led their teams for one last time on Sunday. From next year, Yannick Noah and Andre Agassi will step in when the eighth chapter of the Laver Cup begins in San Francisco, California.
“It’s always tough to play Team World at Laver Cup,” Borg commented. “I’m very proud of my team.”