Zverev was given the chance to get Europe to the all-important 13 points by a doubles victory for his team in Sunday’s first match.
To do so, he’d have to end a three-match losing streak that he was on in singles matches at the event, with Alex De Minaur beating him the day before.
That loss in particular had him feeling the pressure and made the straight-sets win over Tien feel especially important to him.
“I think I definitely felt a bit of pressure today because of the match I lost yesterday,” he said in the final press conference of the tournament.
“And I’m extremely happy that Tim (Henman) and Yannick and the rest of the team still had confidence in me to close it out and play the final day, because I lost the last three matches in the Laver Cup before that.
“I think the Laver Cup, we saw over the years, is a different type of event. The results that happen here sometimes don’t happen on the normal tour. Here, all of a sudden, people come alive and play their best tennis.
“So I knew this event was very, very different to anything else, but I think it was important to close it out today.”
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It’s been the best year of Zverev’s career, with the German claiming his first two Grand Slam titles at the French and US Opens.
While this was the first time that he’d come into the Laver Cup having triumphed in the biggest matches possible, it didn’t necessarily make him feel too different at the team event.
For him, there’s always been an extra pressure at this tournament to deliver for teammates, and to do so brings him a lot of satisfaction.
“Winning two Grand Slams is a dream come true, of course…” he said.
“But I think the Laver Cup is a completely different event, right? I think you can’t compare the two. Here, we’re playing a very fast format, and we’re playing as a team.
“I think here, you feel more pressure to perform for everybody else as well. I’m super satisfied.”
