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There are lots of images/GIFS in ‘The Racquet’ so it may take a while to load depending on your wifi/4g. I promise it’s worth it 😅.

Heads up: These Laver Cup issues are a bit lighter on the usual stats and analysis and more about the fun stuff. This is an exhibition after all.

NO SPOILERS 🎥

If you don't want to see the results yet, and want to catch up with the highlights, stop scrolling now! Links (some may get removed):

Sock 🎥 Edmund

Dimitrov 🎥 Tiafoe

Goffin 🎥 Schwartzman 🔥

Federer/Djokovic 🎥 Sock/Anderson 🔥

RESULTS 🎾

💥 = Beatdown \\ 🤕 = Injury \\ ‼️ = Upset

Featured Matches:

Sock/Anderson d Federer/Djokovic: 6-7(5), 6-3, 10-6

Very fun doubles match with all four guys showing their various strengths. Novak impressed with some sharp early returning, Roger’s quick hands at the net were stellar as usual, Anderson’s serving was large and in charge and Sock’s all-round court positioning and doubles IQ outshone the others. Team Europe edged a tight 1st set in a tiebreaker with a nice reaction volley from Federer to clinch it. The 2nd set saw Sock/Anderson settle into the match with some much better volleying and returning. Anderson’s off-backhand return in particular was brilliant all night and Team World wrapped up a relatively routine 2nd set, 6-3. Into a 10-point, deciding tiebreaker and a double fault from Federer at 4-4 handed their opponents the early lead. Some big serving from Anderson coupled with some brilliant forehand returns from Sock was enough to see Team World over the finish line. The better doubles team won, with Novak and Roger at times looking a little out-of-sync with the Serb at the net. But overall an impressive display from all four players.

🎾

Also:

Goffin d Schwartzman: 6-4, 4-6, 11-9

A really entertaining, and close, match that swung back and forth over the course of two and half sets. Schwartzman went up the early break only for Goffin to break back and reel off four straight games to take the opener. Some brilliant tennis from Diego then saw the Argentine break early in the 2nd set, before a slight wobble nearly cost him his lead. Serving for the set at the second time of asking, Schwartzman levelled the match at one set all and sent us to a deciding 10-point breaker. Some early errors from the Argentine gave Goffin a 5-1 lead, but Schwartzman stormed back, in the process winning 6 points in a row, to set up two match points. Goffin dug deep, saved both, and then converted a match point of his own after a Schwartzman forehand sailed long.

Edmund d Sock: 6-4, 5-7, 10-6

Edmund was the better player for the majority of the match, looking relatively comfortable for a set and a half. Sock then mounted an impressive comeback in the 2nd set without the use of a functioning backhand, which seemed to desert him for the vast majority of the match. Split at one set all, Edmund then dominated the 10 point tiebreaker with some huge forehands (a shot that had been firing all match). Sock’s backhand continued to let him down with 3 unforced errors early in the breaker to surrender the early momentum.

Dimitrov d Tiafoe: 6-1, 6-4 💥

Classic Grigor, playing some of his best tennis of the year in an exhibition🤷‍♂️. Dimitrov’s serving and 1-2 punches were excellent all match, landing 70% of his 1st serves and winning 88% of those points. His slice backhand worked excellently on the low bouncing court, which neutralised Tiafoe’s baseline game very effectively. The young American was in constant trouble on his own serve and just couldn’t get anywhere near his opponents unless Dimitrov was being sloppy.

SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮

— Nice looping, forehand winner from Dimitrov (vs Tiafoe).

— Edmund with some serious backspin on the volley. Great touch.

— 100mph forehand from Sock. Brilliant anticipation from Kyle.

— Edmund’s backhand much improved in the past 12 months.

— Brilliant point from both guys.

— Outrageous dipping spin on this forehand from Sock.

— Unreal half-volley dropper from Schwartzman (vs Goffin). The ball just died on he other side of the net.

— Anderson’s return was huge all match.

— One of Federer’s best doubles attributes: fast hands at the net. Especially when facing Sock’s forehand bombs.

— Great doubles point with all 4 players keeping the ball relatively low. A brilliant put-away by Novak to finish it off.

TEAM BENCH BEST QUOTES🎤

Tiafoe to Sock:

“This is your time. Right fucking now, right fucking now. Let’s fucking go.” “This is you right fucking now, bro.” “He doesn't want this. He has nightmares about you.”

Dimitrov to Edmund:

“The moment you had two shots to go to his (Sock’s) backhand, he's not gonna be able to generate anything out of that shot."

Matt: This is my favourite thing about the Laver Cup. Hearing the non-playing team members brutal opinions about the other team. This was Dimitrov verbally slaughtering Sock’s backhand (which was entirely justified).

Djokovic to Edmund:

“Unleash the dragon!”

Federer To Djokovic after Novak had been hit in the chest with a Sock forehand rocket:

Federer: “That's why we don't play doubles bro”. Djokovic: “FUCK! Oh my god, my heart stopped for like 3 seconds”. Federer: “That’s exactly the one he (Sock) hit against Rafa (last year) and he (Rafa) dove away and hit it blind.” Djokovic: “Yeah I know I saw.”

Video 🎥 ('“Fuck” edited out”)

SCHEDULE - DAY 2 (SATURDAY) ⏰

Day Session

(1pm local, 7pm UK)

A. Zverev vs Isner (H2H: 4-1)

Federer vs Kyrgios (H2H: 3-1) 🔥🔥

Night Session

(NB 7pm local, 1am UK)

Djokovic vs Anderson (H2H: 6-1) 🔥

Dimitrov/Goffin vs Sock/Kyrgios 🔥

EXTRAS 🔍📊🎤

— Rare, but devastating, technique on Sock’s forehand. Grip is almost absurdly western. Stance completely open. SO much lower arm work.

Dimitrov:

“When you play a team event, especially with team mates like these, but any team event, it makes you feel you are a better player than you actually are.”

“Usually we’re always against each other and now, these guys (Federer/Djokovic/Zverev) are actually cheering for me. It’s a nice feeling.”

Sock:

“This is probably my favourite week of the year to be honest, aside from New York.”

🤔

Djokovic:

“It's the first time that we Roger and I have spent so much time together on a daily basis. The relationship has strengthened.”

Federer:

“Rafa and Nole are very different players, a lot of changes, opponents were very different too. Excitement was similar for me, to team with someone of Nole's caliber was a treat. You learn a lot from these matches.”

— Rocket Rod Laver with the Mexican wave.

— Novak pretty fired up after team Europe took the first set 😂.

— Sock wore a Chicago Bulls jersey on to court. Chicagoan crowd appreciated it.

Djokovic’s singles record: 823 wins - 173 losses.

Djokovic’s doubles record: 47 wins - 63 losses.

LOL 😂

— Grigor: “Did I do ok Dad?”

— Roger: “You did great son.”

— Roger: “But you’re “baby” Fed for a reason ok?

— Grigor: “WTF man?!”

— Kyrgios & Sock high on life (and cereal).

— Roger casually undressing Kyle Edmund’s coach (Fredrik Rosengren).

— Yes that is Zverev junkpunching Dimitrov in the background.

— Federer: “Did you know that 20 is more than 14, also I should take each and everyone of the smashes, also did I tell you about the time I went to Rafa’s academy.”

— Djokovic: “Ok Rog.”

— Zverev: “I miss Thiem.”

— TFW you remember your backhand is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

— Team Europe with the 💥.

— When Mirka buys the good chocolate.

— The moment Sock realised Kyrgios, who doesn’t have a coach himself, was trying to coach him, so immediately puts him on water bottle duty.

— The Federer and Dimitrov bromance.

— 😤😵😮

— Novak tagging Federer with a solid shot to the kidneys.

— 😱

— Novak rubbing it better.

— Fedkovic.

If you’d like to get these recaps every day of the Laver Cup, as well as daily for all Slams & Masters 1000’s, you can subscribe here:

Subscribe - first month FREE

GAME, SET, MATCH 👋

— The Racquet is created, and written, by Matt.

— You can find me on Twitter here.

See you tomorrow for Laver Cup Day 2!