TIL Desk Sports/ Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, ranked No. 2 in the world, defeated Australia’s Nick Kyrgios 4-6, 7-6(6) and “match tie-break” (11-9) to take home the first-ever Laver Cup, named in honour of the legendary Rod Laver.
Federer and Kyrgios played to a “heart-attack finish” in the O2 Arena before 17,000 fans on Sunday, reports said. Kyrgios was very focused during the match and managed to break Federer’s service in the fifth game, which he effusively celebrated, almost as much as if he had won the set.
The 22-year-old Canberra native, who is in his fifth season as a pro but whose career has been marked by assorted injuries, put everything he had into the match-up against his Swiss rival. The eighth game of the set taken by the Australian was the one that sparked the most emotion among the crowd with long and precise volleys and alternating sudden attacks and great defensive shots.
