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Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios feud takes new twist at Laver Cup

Fans eagerly awaiting the latest instalment of the Nick Kyrgios-Rafa Nadal feud were left sorely disappointed on Sunday at the Laver Cup.

Just hours before they were due to face off on day three in Geneva, Nadal withdrew from the match in an unexpected new twist to their ongoing feud.

A pumped-up Kyrgios and Jack Sock teamed up to overcome Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 3-6 10-6 to secure two crucial points and leave the overall score at 7-5 in favour of the Europeans after the second day.

‘I’D MARRY HER’: Nick Kyrgios gets distracted during match

Earlier, Nadal won his match against Milos Raonic to increase Team Europe’s lead.

However, the two matches took their toll on the US Open champion after Nadal announced he would have to withdraw from his doubles match with Roger Federer and his singles - and grudge - match against Kyrgios.

Nadal said, “inflammation on my left wrist” was the reason he had to withdraw.

Bizarrely, Kyrgios then withdrew from the match as well citing a shoulder injury.

Fans were devastated after the prospect of Nadal and Federer teaming up for only the second time in their careers on Sunday.

Dominic Thiem stepped in for the singles, with Tsitsipas stepping in for the doubles.

Earlier in the day, Kyrgios praised Team World’s comeback on day Two.

"Our whole team is coming together and we're going to ride this momentum into day three," Kyrgios, who is 3-0 in Laver Cup doubles with Sock, said.

Nick Kyrgios and Rafa Nadal, pictured here at the Laver Cup.
Nick Kyrgios and Rafa Nadal at the Laver Cup. Image: Getty

Trailing by a mini-break for 4-3 in the deciding super tiebreaker, Kyrgios and Sock played brilliant tennis to win six points in a row and then soon after lock-in victory.

"That's one of the best 10-point tiebreakers I've ever seen a doubles team play, and they needed to because Rafa and Stefanos wanted it bad," Team World captain John McEnroe said.

"It gives us some momentum going into tomorrow."

Federer and Zverev lead Europe to victory

Alexander Zverev snatched the Laver Cup for Team Europe as he beat Canada's Milos Raonic in the final rubber of three days of action.

With Kyrgios and Nadal both withdrawing and Federer suffering a doubles defeat, it looked as though McEnroe's Team World would take the title.

But after Federer beat John Isner, Germany's Zverev kept his cool in an electrifying atmosphere to beat Raonic 6-4 3-6 10-4.

It gave Europe a 13-11 overall win and sparked wild celebrations with captain Bjorn Borg, Federer and Nadal racing on to the charcoal-coloured court to swamp Zverev.

"It was an unbelievable weekend," Zverev told ATP.com

"My team was screaming at me in the locker room before the match tie-break, saying this is how I could turn my season around.

"Without all of these guys on the bench, I couldn't have done it. This is very special, especially playing in front of those guys and having them trust me to play the last match."

Borg's Europe have now won the title in each of the three years the team event has been staged.

"Team World came once again very close but we won the right points and had maybe a little bit of luck," Swede Borg said.

"I'm very proud of my team, they did a hell of a job. I'm a very happy captain."

The event, sanctioned by the men's ATP tour for the first time this year, will be staged in Boston in 2020.

With AAP