Cameron Norrie falls short as Team World levels with Team Europe

• Cameron Norrie of the U.K defeated by Taylor Fritz, bringing Team World.
• Team Europe level after the opening session of day two at the Laver Cup.
• Matteo Berrettini gave Europe 4-2 advantage with victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Cameron Norrie of the U.K defeated by Taylor Fritz, bringing Team World and Team Europe level after the opening session of day two.

Norrie fell 6-1 4-6 10-8, tying the score at 4-4 after the first half on his Laver Cup debut.

With a victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime at 7-6 (11-9) 4-6 10-7, Matteo Berrettini gave Europe a 4-2 advantage.

Roger Federer was sitting on the bench cheering for Norrie and Berrettini after finishing his final match of his career early on Saturday.

Federer was also tutoring Berrettini, the world’s number 15 tennis player, a situation that the Swiss great, who had inspired Berrettini to pursue a career in tennis, regarded as strange.

“It’s actually weird, because when you’re on court you’re not thinking, oh my God, Roger is coaching me,” said Berrettini.

“But then when you finish the match, you’re like, wait, what? Last night, for example, one of the reasons why I couldn’t sleep is because Roger had been crying on my shoulder [during his farewell match].”

On an emotional night, Federer, 41, played in the doubles with Rafael Nadal as he said farewell to his 25-year professional career.

Only travelling to London to take part in Federer’s farewell match, Nadal has since returned to Spain with his wife, who is currently expecting their first child.

In the yearly three-day competition, players from each team are often expected to compete in at least one singles match.

After Federer and Nadal lost to the American duo of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe on the first day, the teams were tied at 2-2 when one point was awarded for each victory.

On Saturday and Sunday, each victory in a game is awarded two points, and the first team to 13 points is deemed the winner.

Due to a knee injury, Federer was only able to play doubles and had to be substituted by Berrettini for the singles matches, hastened Federer’s retirement.

When Nadal withdrew, Team Europe’s second alternative, British number one Norrie, 27, took his place.

The night session on Saturday features a singles match between Europe’s Novak Djokovic and World’s Frances Tiafoe, as well as a doubles match between the 35-year-old Serb and Berrettini against Sock and Alex de Minaur.

Since winning Wimbledon in July, Djokovic has not participated in a competitive match. He was unable to compete in American tournaments because he has not received the Covid-19 vaccine.

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