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Team World defends Laver Cup title in Vancouver

Victory marks the first team the side has won back-to-back tournaments
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Team World鈥檚 Taylor Fritz, centre left, and Ben Shelton, centre right, hoist the Laver Cup in front of their teammates, John McEnroe, back left, and Rod Laver, front left, after Team World defeated Team Europe 13-2 at the Laver Cup tennis tournament, in Vancouver, on Sunday, September 24, 2023. Team World claimed its second straight Laver Cup title on Sunday at Rogers Arena. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

For the very first time, Team World successfully defended its Laver Cup title.

Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe beat Hubert Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev 7-6 (7), 7-6 (7) to help Team World hit the 13-point mark needed to defeat Team Europe.

鈥淚t felt unbelievable,鈥 said Team World captain John McEnroe, who added how Team Europe had beaten Team World numerous times.

Montreal native Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was also a member of Team World last year, said the repeat victory was even more special with it taking place on Canadian soil.

鈥淭o win is the best feeling and it鈥檚 nice to come back after London and to do it in Vancouver,鈥 he said.

Auger-Aliassime said he looks forward to having an opportunity to play as part of a team.

鈥淓very time I play for a team, I feel really good,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he tour can, playing singles all the time, get lonely I guess. To have teammates and win as a team, for me it鈥檚 really special.鈥

Team World鈥檚 2022 victory marked Swiss star Roger Federer鈥檚 last professional appearance before retiring.

Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., was attending the tournament as an alternate for Team World in case of injury, and took part in a doubles match after the cup presentation.

He was paired with Chris Eubanks as the pair took on Arthur Fils and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

鈥淢ilos is a guy who changed the way Canadians looked at our game of tennis,鈥 McEnroe said of Raonic鈥檚 legacy.

Team World took a 10-2 lead in the tournament on Saturday to put itself in the driver鈥檚 seat.

The opening doubles match on Sunday featured several sustained rallies, with Shelton hitting a behind-the-back shot during the second game.

Both sets went to tiebreakers, with Team Europe pushing to stay in the hunt for its second win of the three-day tournament.

But it wasn鈥檛 meant to be as Hurkacz missed a drop shot, allowing Team World to clinch the win.

The Polish player threw his racket down onto the court and appeared visibly angry at the missed opportunity.

鈥淚t was just about the little details that didn鈥檛 go our way,鈥 said Rublev after the match.

The match was a tight affair, with Team World just edging out their European counterparts 80 to 76 on points.

鈥淲e gave 100 per cent. Team World played unbelievable tennis every single match,鈥 said Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg. 鈥淥f course we鈥檙e very disappointed. We didn鈥檛 expect to lose by this much, but what can you say? They played good tennis.鈥

Team World entered the final media conference of the tournament with champagne and McEnroe with a lit cigar.

鈥淚鈥檓 pretty loaded right now,鈥 joked Tiafoe while answering a question.

The tournament and players faced questions throughout the week about a relative lack of high-profile players as well as issues over how to fit the tournament into the ATP Tour鈥檚 schedule.

Team Europe star Casper Ruud said he hoped the competition would continue.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a great initiative,鈥 he said. 鈥淢e, as a golf man, watching the Ryder Cup all my life, it鈥檚 great for tennis to has this event.鈥

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