If there was ever someone you needed to win a tiebreak when it mattered from either Team Europe or Team World at this year's Laver Cup, most would have picked any member of the Big 4 or likely a commanding answer would have been Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic.
The answer this time was Frances Tiafoe, and he was indeed the answer, winning two tiebreaks in the final tie against Stefanos Tsitsipas to clinch a first-ever Laver Cup title for Team World.
In some ways, the stories wrote themselves. Yes, all the headlines were about Roger Federer and his retirement, but at one point this weekend, all members of the Big 4 lost. The Big 4, made up of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Andy Murray, had dominated tennis for about two decades with the sheer amount of big titles they had won.
Seeing them all go down at one point this weekend, made it feel like a "changing of the guard" in some ways. While one of the Big 4 heads out, it's inevitable that the other three are on their way out soon as well. Sooner or later, tennis will have none of these players left. We will simply just enjoy the sport and it's new young stars on both the men's and women's sides.
Tears were shed, speeches were written, songs were sung, but most importantly, the show went on still with Team World highlighting the end of it.
Day 1: Federer Drops His Last Match
After Team Europe stormed out to a quick 2-0 lead thanks to Casper Ruud and Tsitsipas, Team World clawed one back with Alex De Minaur taking the match tiebreak against Murray.
In his final match, Federer went out playing doubles with his good friend and old rival Nadal. After taking the opening set 6-4, team "Fedal" held a matchpoint but could not convert as Federer joked to his bench that he was "too slow" on that point to recover on time. The American duo of Jack Sock and Tiafoe won the super tiebreaker 11-9 before emotions ran high with all the farewell speeches and videos playing.
Day 2: Team Europe Pulls Ahead
For the first-time ever, the two teams were tied up at two heading into the second day. Another 2-2 split would mean there would be all the pressure on those final day matches just to get an edge. Nadal pulled out of the Cup to head back to Spain to be with his wife who is due to have their first child soon, and Federer opted out of any other matches after saying Friday was going to be his last match.
This allowed both alternates of Matteo Berrettini and Cam Norrie to come in for Team Europe. Berrettini kicked off the second day by taking out Felix Auger-Aliassime in a super tiebreaker, but Taylor Fritz struck back immediately for Team World, once again tying the score.
It was double delight for both Djokovic and Berrettini on this second day as both went perfect in singles and doubles with the Serb cruising to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Tiafoe followed by a doubles win with his Italian partner. Those two wins would double Team Europe's lead to 8-4, putting them in prime position to clinch another Laver Cup.
Day 3: Team World Sweeps To Clinch Laver Cup
With their backs against the wall after falling behind a set and already down 4-8, Sock and Auger-Alassime turned it on to put Team World right back in it with a super tiebreak win in the doubles. The Canadian experienced his own taste of two-times success after defeating Djokovic in straight sets to put Team World on the edge of victory.
Team World has played in matches to clinch the Laver Cup before, most notably in 2019, but have never won it before and were embarrassed badly in 2021, losing 14-1 to Team Europe.
Tsitstipas looked well in control of his match against Tiafoe, winning the opening set 6-1, but the American, who has shown a clutch gene for tiebreaks this whole summer, delivered once again. An astounding stat of over a dozen tiebreaks/super tiebreaks won consecutively, dating back to earlier this summer against Berrettini in Cincinnati is what was the be-all and all in this one.
For the first time, Team World hoists the Laver Cup and will get to defend the title in their territory as the 2023 host city of Vancouver was presented.