Team Europe reclaimed the Laver Cup trophy on Sunday at the O2 Arena in London, thanks to a decisive victory by newly crowned US Open champion Alexander Zverev over rising talent Learner Tien. The German star, who has already captured both the French Open and US Open titles this season, lived up to the hype surrounding his claim as the world’s best player, delivering a performance that clinched a 13-5 overall win for Europe and gave his chief rival, Carlos Alcaráz, a day off the court.
Zverev’s match against Tien was the second singles encounter of the final day, and he secured the win in straight sets, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. The victory not only sealed the cup for Team Europe but also marked Zverev’s first Laver Cup singles triumph since his debut in 2024. "I hadn't won a match here in two years, so it feels great to finally break that streak," Zverev said after the match, acknowledging the effort of the opposing side. "Huge respect for Team World – they pushed us hard all the way.
They were champions last year, and this time our chemistry was exceptional. I'm thrilled we came out on top." Leading up to the event, Alcaráz had publicly praised Zverev’s recent Grand Slam successes, setting the stage for a high‑stakes showdown in this Ryder‑Cup‑style competition. However, Zverev experienced a mixed weekend.
He and his partner lost a doubles match on Friday and later squandered several match points against Alex de Minaur on Saturday. Alcaráz, meanwhile, reclaimed momentum at the close of day two before Zverev paired with Casper Ruud to win a pivotal doubles match, narrowing Team Europe’s deficit to just two wins away from the title heading into Sunday’s sessions. The doubles pair of Flavio Cobolli and Jakub Mensik also contributed significantly to Europe’s lead. After dropping the first break, they settled into a rhythm that saw them dominate the world’s No.
1 team, defeating de Minaur and Taylor Fritz 7-5, 6-3. Their victory pushed the overall score to 10-5 in Europe’s favour and set the stage for Zverev’s decisive singles win.
While Zverev faced a challenging opponent in the inexperienced Tien, he benefitted from the safety net of having Alcaráz ready to step in if needed. The match proved competitive, but Zverev’s experience and composure carried the day. His win was celebrated in front of tournament co‑founder Roger Federer, who sat alongside Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, adding a touch of glamour to the occasion. Alcaráz, a seven‑time Grand Slam champion who returned to competition at the US Open after a lengthy wrist injury lay‑off, had been slated to play de Minaur later in the singles schedule.
Additionally, 20‑year‑old Spanish hopeful Rafael Jodar was scheduled to face Fritz. Neither of those matches became necessary after Zverev’s clinching victory.
Reflecting on his performance, Zverev noted, "We had three chances to close it out in singles. Having Carlos play right after me gave me confidence and a bit of freedom in my game.
It was an incredibly tough match, credit to Learner for his fight. I think Carlos is happy I finished it, and I’m happy too – it feels great to win." Europe’s triumph marks their sixth Laver Cup title out of the nine editions held to date, reinforcing their dominance in this elite team competition. In other tennis news, the Czech Republic secured their 12th Billie Jean King Cup title in Shenzhen, defeating Ukraine with a commanding 2-0 lead. Karolina Muchová and Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková delivered the decisive points, with Muchová dispatching Anhelina Kalinina 6-2, 6-3 and Nosková overcoming world No.
7 Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). The Czech team now ranks as the second‑most successful nation in the history of the premier women’s team event, trailing only the United States, which holds a record 18 titles. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues its pursuit of a first Billie Jean King Cup crown. Fans can continue to follow high‑level tennis action by streaming events without a contract on NOW or the Sky Sports app, which also offers live coverage of the WTA 1000 China Open starting Wednesday.