De Minaur beats Zverev with bleeding knee, puts Team World
Alex de Minaur saved a match point and played through a bleeding knee to defeat Alexander Zverev in a Laver Breaker, giving Team World its first lead at
Alex de Minaur beat Alexander Zverev 2-6, 7-6(5), 11-9 on day two of the 2026 Laver Cup in London. The 27-year-old world number nine saved a match point and played through a bleeding knee to secure the win, which gave Team World a 5-3 lead.
De Minaur was willing to play on despite the visible injury. He later joked about his red blood during his on-court interview, stating it had been a very tough battle. He said he left everything on the court and felt fortunate to get the job done, happy to secure points for his team. The victory was clinched in the Laver Breaker format, with de Minaur converting his own match point to end the contest.
Victory ends Zverev’s streak and shifts momentum
The win ended Alexander Zverev's nine-match winning streak. The US Open champion had not lost since Tommy Paul defeated him in Cincinnati 38 days prior. His run of victories included his entire US Open title campaign and two Davis Cup matches.
| Opponent | Round/Tournament |
|---|---|
| Lorenzo Sonego | US Open 1R |
| Quentin Halys | US Open 2R |
| Alejandro Tabilo | US Open 3R |
| Luciano Darderi | US Open 4R |
| Botic van de Zandschulp | US Open QF |
| Karen Khachanov | US Open SF |
| Ben Shelton | US Open F |
| Dino Prizmic | Davis Cup Q |
| Matej Dodig | Davis Cup Q |
De Minaur became the first player to defeat Zverev since before the US Open. The result shifted the momentum of the entire Laver Cup. Team World had trailed 3-1 after the first day. Thanks to day-two victories from Learner Tien and de Minaur, each worth two points, the team surged ahead 5-3. This put them halfway toward repeating their 2025 feat, when they won all four day-two matches to take a commanding lead.
Team World builds on day-two surge with Agassi’s backing
Learner Tien's win earlier in the day set the stage for de Minaur's clincher. Tien defeated Flavio Cobolli 3-6, 6-2, 10-7 in the third session, bringing Team World level on points before de Minaur took the court. The team's energy was palpable, highlighted by a passionate exchange between de Minaur and Team World captain Andre Agassi by the bench, with shouts of encouragement heard from the captain.
In his interview, de Minaur remarked on the special atmosphere and called it a pretty good start. He noted that Team World was in the same position last year and that it worked out well. He said the team knows they are underdogs but also knows they can step onto the court and light it up. His strategy was simply to stay in the match, keep asking questions, and give himself a chance, hoping to get lucky by putting the ball in the court.
With the lead secured, attention turns to the final day. Team Europe hopes Carlos Alcaraz, scheduled to play Taylor Fritz in the Saturday evening session, can get them back in contention. The winning team needs 13 points to claim the Laver Cup. Captain Andre Agassi may select de Minaur for a high-stakes match on the final day, potentially against Carlos Alcaraz.
