In a rematch of this year's thrilling US Open quarter-final, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz tussle in Match Seven of the Laver Cup on Saturday, keen to improve their respective team's prospects of a triumph.
With Team Europe and Team World tied after the tournament's opening day, the second day's matches — with the winning team gaining two points — could go a long way in deciding this year's victor.
Match preview
© Imago
After losing on day one in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev aims to bounce back from that tournament-opening disappointment by beating Fritz.
The German hopes for good fortune on the second night session of this year's edition after Friday's defeat, aiming to improve his commendable record in singles where he has suffered one loss in seven matches.
That sole defeat came against John Isner in the 2019 event in Geneva, even if Zverev bounced back from that day-two loss to decide the event on day three, beating Milos Raonic in three sets as Team Europe won 13-11.
The second-ranked player in the world hopes for a similar recovery this time, hoping to help his team in the race to clinch 13 points on home soil and ultimately snap Team World's two-tournament winning streak.
© Imago
While both players know a win takes their group closer to 13 points, the outcome in Matches Five and Six — Daniil Medvedev vs Frances Tiafoe and Carlos Alcaraz vs Ben Shelton, respectively — will determine the sort of pressure Fritz is under before the night session.
The 2024 US Open finalist and Shelton got the better of Zverev and Alcaraz to tie the Laver Cup at 2-2 ahead of day two, and the American hopes to record success in singles at the home player's expense.
Like his German opponent, the eight-time tour-level champion has a positive win-loss Laver Cup record, notching three wins and suffering one loss in singles, with the American's sole defeat coming in his very first appearance in Geneva five years back when he fell to Stefanos Tsitsipas in three sets.
Fritz has notched three straight victories in singles since that reverse, and he seeks another triumph against a motivated Zverev, who aims to avenge recent chastening losses to the American.
Head To Head
US Open (2024) - Quarter-finals - Fritz wins 7-6(7-2) 3-6 6-4 7-6(7-3)
Wimbledon (2024) - Fourth round - Fritz wins 4-6 6-7 (7-4) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 6-3
Italian Open (2024) - Quarter-finals - Zverev wins 6-4 6-3
United Cup (2023) - Round robin - Fritz wins 6-1 6-4
ATP Cup (2022) - Round robin - Zverev wins 6-4 6-4
BNP Paribas Open (2021) - Quarter-finals - Fritz wins 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-3)
Wimbledon (2021) - Third round - Zverev wins 6-7 (7-3) 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-4)
Swiss Indoors (2019) - Second round - Fritz wins 7-6 (9-7) 6-4
Wimbledon (2018) - Second round - Zverev wins 6-4 5-7 6-7 (7-0) 6-1 6-2
Citi Open (2016) - Second round - Zverev wins 6-4 6-2
Both players have split their 10 match-ups on the ATP Tour, with Saturday's victory guaranteed to edge ahead 6-5.
Although Zverev clinched wins in the opening two matches of their rivalry, the American has responded impressively to triumph in five of the next eight match-ups, including a thrilling five-setter at Wimbledon in July this year and a recent four-set victory at Flushing Meadows.
The German has six Laver Cup victories to Fritz's three in singles, accruing 14 points to his opponent's seven.
We say: Zverev to win in two sets
While recent tussles have gone Fritz's way, the matches at Wimbledon and New York could easily have gone the other way, possibly motivating home favourite Zverev.
Backed by most inside the Uber Arena, the German is backed to snap his two-match losing run and clinch two points for Team Europe.
