Taylor Fritz has claimed that Team World always have “more fun” at the Laver Cup than Team Europe, despite falling to a fifth defeat in the men’s team event.
Team World were looking to make it three straight Laver Cup titles in Berlin this weekend, having lifted the title in London two years ago and again in Vancouver last September.
The team, captained by John McEnroe, looked set to successfully defend their title midway through Day 3 after Ben Shelton put them 11-7 up thanks to his win against Daniil Medvedev.
However, Team World was unable to close out proceedings, with Frances Tiafoe letting a set and a break lead slip against Alexander Zverev before Carlos Alcaraz downed Fritz 6-2, 7-5 in the decisive final rubber.
Team Europe now have a 5-2 overall lead in the Laver Cup head-to-head, having previously won the first four competitions since the event launched in 2017.
However, world No 7 Fritz – the highest-ranked Team World player, and currently the highest-ranked non-European on the ATP Rankings – believes the squad atmosphere remains stronger within his team.
“The chemistry and vibes between the squad members are a big part of what makes the World Team so strong,” said the US star.
“Every year, regardless of the outcome, I think one thing remains true: we have more fun than the other team at this event.”
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This year, Fritz – who was making his fourth Laver Cup appearance – was once again joined by fellow American stars Tiafoe and Ben Shelton in Team World.
Also taking part this year for Team World were Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis, Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, and Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.
Fritz’s compatriot and close friend Tommy Paul was also set to take part but withdrew prior to the tournament due to injury.
From a Team World perspective, all eyes will be on whether they can bounce back next year after what may go down as a missed opportunity in Berlin.
San Francisco will play host to the eighth Laver Cup in 2025, with American players likely to receive overwhelming support over on the West Coast.
It will be the third time that the event is held in the United States, with Chicago playing host in 2018 and Boston holding the first post-COVID event in 2021.
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