Roger Federer could not hide his disappointment after watching Frances Tiafoe prove the pantomime villain for a second time at the Laver Cup this weekend as his epic comeback denied the Swiss one final trophy.
A 1-6 7-6 (11) 10-8 victory for the US Open semi-finalist in the 11th match of the Ryder Cup-style team competition over Stefanos Tsitsipas helped Team World taste success in the tournament at the fifth time of asking.
Tiafoe’s remarkable win saw John McEnroe’s group hit the magic 13-point mark first on a dramatic and thrilling Sunday at the O2 where they claimed a maiden Laver Cup by a 13-8 scoreline.
It was Tiafoe who teamed up with Jack Sock on Friday night to beat Federer and Rafael Nadal in an emotional doubles contest which brought the curtain down on the 20-time grand-slam champion’s glittering career in a professional capacity and it was the American who again made the difference 48 hours later.