VANCOUVER/STARNBERG, September 24, 2023
Team World inched closer to retaining its Laver Cup title with a commanding performance on Saturday night. Felix Auger-Aliassime and Ben Shelton defeated Hubert Hurkacz and Gael Monfils, extending John McEnroe‘s team’s lead to 10-2 against Team Europe.
Earlier in the day, Casper Ruud had secured Team Europe’s first points with a 7-6(6), 6-2 win over Tommy Paul, but Frances Tiafoe responded with a 7-5, 6-3 victory against Hurkacz to swing the momentum back in favor of Team World. The 7-5, 6-4 doubles win by Auger-Aliassime and Shelton means that Team World needs just one more victory in the remaining four matches on Sunday to claim the Laver Cup trophy for the second consecutive year. Each of the matches on Sunday will be worth three points.
“It is amazing,” Shelton said. “When you play with a guy who serves and returns like Felix and is as athletic as him and goes back for the overhead and is as strong as him. It is a fun time out here. We call him Laver Cup Felix because he turns into something special this week. I am happy I got to share the court with him at least once.”
The championship is on the line on Day 3 of Laver Cup Vancouver 2023.#shareubs pic.twitter.com/gXv2JUQD0T
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 24, 2023
