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A22 HEALTH
Monday 23 SepteMber 2019
Federer, Zverev win as Europe retains Laver Cup title

three points on Sunday.
Nadal scratched from Eu-
rope's intended lineup in
both the opening doubles
with Federer and the first
singles due to an inflamed
hand.
Isner and doubles special-
ist Jack Sock then beat Fe-
derer and Stefanos Tsitsipas
5-7, 6-4, 10-8.
Nadal's replacement in
singles, No. 5 ranked Domi-
nic Thiem, was beaten 7-5,
6-7 (3), 10-5 by Taylor Fritz
in a second straight match
decided by the super-tie-
breaker. Fritz was a late re-
placement for Nick Kyrgios,
Team Europe pose with the Laver Cup trophy after defeating Team world's, at the Laver Cup tennis event, in Geneva, Switzerland, who like Nadal scratched
Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. after both had played in
Associated Press singles and doubles on Sat-
urday. Strong play by the
GENEVA (AP) — After the world team captained Americans on Sunday gave
Roger Federer secured a by John McEnroe. the world team an overall
must-win victory for Team "I played an unbelievable lead for the first time in the
Europe, Alexander Zverev tiebreaker," Zverev said. three-day competition.
ensured the Laver Cup was "I'm super happy and su- Isner and Sock improved to
retained Sunday in a title- per thankful to Roger and 3-0 in Laver Cup doubles,
deciding super-tiebreaker Rafa and the rest of the and the 30th-ranked Fritz
against Milos Raonic of team. Without them on the overcame Austria's Thiem.
Team World. bench today, I couldn't "This has to be one of the
Zverev fired a cross-court have done it." biggest wins of my career,"
forehand winner to clinch Two hours earlier, Federer Fritz said. "I'm the kind of
a 6-4, 3-6, 10-4 victory in the had delighted a sold-out person that really doesn't
decisive singles match and crowd of 17,000 in his home want to let my team down."
give the Europeans a 13-11 country by beating John Is- With Europe needing to
win in points. ner 6-4, 7-6 (3) to set up the sweep the last two rubbers,
Japan's Naomi Osaka poses for a photo during an award After Zverev fell to the winner-take-all finale. Federer came through
ceremony after winning the Toray Pan Pacific Open tennis
tournament in Osaka, western Japan, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. ground in triumph, he dis- The European team also in a typically tight match
Associated Press appeared from view under won the first two Laver Cup against Isner with few
a pile of celebrating team- editions, played in 2017 in break-point chances.
Osaka wins Toray mates including Federer, Prague and last year in Chi- "I'm thrilled that I was able
Rafael Nadal and their cago. Europe began Sun-
to give something back to
Pan Pacific, her 1st captain Bjorn Borg. day leading 7-5 in a scoring the team," Federer said.
Tennis great Rod Laver, for system that gave one point "Obviously to see Rafa on
whom the event co-owned for a win on Friday and two the sidelines after having
title on Japan soil by Federer is named, pre- on Saturday. Victories in the to pull out with an injury,
sented the trophy to the doubles and each of three it's great camaraderie I
Europeans, watched by singles matches scored feel."q
By the Associated Press hold in the match and
Naomi Osaka won her first closed out with an ace.
singles title since the Aus- It is Osaka's first title in the
tralian Open in January country of her birth — she
by beating Russia's Anas- lost finals in Tokyo in 2016
tasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, and '18 — and fourth
6-3 in the Toray Pan Pacif- in her career. She won
ic final on Sunday. back-to-back majors at
Enjoying strong support the U.S. Open in 2018 and
from a parochial crowd, the Australian Open in
the former No. 1-ranked January.
Osaka dominated the At the Korea Open in
match with her powerful Seoul, Karolina Muchova
groundstrokes and broke of the Czech Republic
Pavlyuchenkova's serve defeated fourth-seeded
twice to take the opening Magda Linette of Poland
set in 31 minutes. in the final.
Top-seeded Osaka didn't The No. 3-seeded Mucho-
ease off in the second set, va coasted to the title,
denying the Russian any overcoming her oppo-
chance of getting a foot- nent 6-1, 6-1.q