Roger Federer would have enjoyed his retirement days, far from the madding crowd. But he became an icon. A brand, as some fans would see it. The Swiss Maestro, the winner of 20 Grand Slam titles, achieved numerous records when he retired from the professional tour in 2022. The Laver Cup is Roger Federer legacy, though.
The Laver Cup follows a Ryder Cup format, pitting the best tennis from Europe against the best players from all over the world. It was a concept that should've come into fruition during the 1990s, when the rivalry was fierce yet petty. Fans of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi would agree on one thing.
It was named after Rod Laver, arguably the greatest tennis player until Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic came along. Laver achieved a calendar Grand Slam sweep twice, and he could've done it more if professional players were allowed to compete in the tour right after the Aussie great turned pro in 1963. The calendar Grand Slam is a rare achievement in tennis, where a player wins the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open in a calendar year.
If the Laver Cup was held in 1992, the European squad would feature Boris Becker (Germany), Michael Stich (Germany), Stefan Edberg (Sweden), Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia), and Marc Rosset (Switzerland) while the World team would include Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Michael Chang, and Wayne Ferreria (South Africa).
It was the best time for American tennis, and they would have been a heavy favorite on paper. But tennis fans were aware of the very intense relationship between Sampras and Agassi. Ivan Lendl might've been a reserve for Team World.
The tennis landscape changed dramatically when Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic dominated the men's tour. If Andy Murray was included, then there wouldn't be any chance for Team World. Murray may have won three major titles, but he had success in the Masters 1000 series. He also won the Olympic gold medal in the men's singles in 2012 and 2016.
Some would point out the pandemic as the turning point, or change of fortune, but it didn't diminish the excitement of the Laver Cup. After all, Federer bid farewell in the 2022 Laver Cup. The number of viewers confounded tennis analysts. but it would reflect Federer's popularity. It remains to be seen if the Laver Cup will go into oblivion after Federer passes away, but his hardcore fans won't have any of it. This team event is the only time to see their idol, up close and personal. And to enjoy him as well.
Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe captained Team Europe and Team World respectively. Borg and McEnroe were rivals during their heyday, but the Laver Cup revealed that there was no animosity between the two. Some tennis fans wondered if Borg did coach Team Europe, especially the 2022 edition. Federer was shown giving words of advice to Alexander Zverev. The Swedish great, winner of 11 Grand Slam titles, may be silent compared to the outspoken, and sometimes combative, McEnroe, but he did play a huge part in Team Europe's success during the first few editions of the Laver Cup.
Federer tried to downplay his rivalry with Djokovic. The Serb joined Team Europe on a couple of occasions. Some fans from both sides tried to downplay the rivalry between the two, but the salty ones believed that there wasn't really any love lost between them. There was no denying that Djokovic's Adria Tour was his latest attempt to match, if not surpass, Federer. But the pandemic was the Serb's downfall. He rebounded with more major titles, even if some analysts and fans griped about the fact that Djokovic was often the beneficiary of the so-called luck of the draw. All of that wasn't discussed during the three-day event.
John McEnroe needed Nick Kyrgios. The Aussie was a promising talent, but he lacked discipline. He doesn't love the sport at all. And he wasn't willing to bleed for the very sport that made him a polarizing figure. He was entertaining, without a doubt. He was a dangerous floater. And McEnroe was aware of it. Kyrgios attracted the crowd until he fell off the Top 100 of the Nitto ATP ranking.
The top players' commitment is a testament of Federer's popularity. Stefanos Tsitsipas looked up to Federer, such that he mastered the one-handed backhand. And some fans compared the Greek's (Adidas) outfit to Federer's. Even Zverev haad great respect for Federer. And Carlos Alcaraz wished he played the Swiss Maestro before he retired from the sport. The top players from Europe want to be Federer in some ways or their own ways.
The Laver Cup is different from other tennis events in one thing. Fans would enjoy it the most. It’s not the case with the French Open. Not even the US Open.
The 2025 Laver Cup will be held in San Francisco, California, USA. It will mark the debut of Yannick Noah as the new captain of Team Europe and Andre Agassi as the new captain of Team World. It will make the Laver Cup more interesting because both Noah and Agassi have remained popular after their active days were over.
Noah, the winner of the 1983 French Open, was the captain of the French team in Davis Cup, winning the prestigious team event on three occasions. He also captained the French women's team to a Fed Cup victory in 1997. Many fans saw Noah as a flamboyant figure, and it would collide with the French Tennis Federation. But it complemented the younger French players. It could make Team Europe regain the Laver Cup.
Agassi, on the other hand, didn't have this kind of experience. As a matter of fact, he tried to coach Djokovic, but it was a short lived collaboration. The choice of the Las Vegas native, the winner of 8 Grand Slam titles, intrigues tennis fans. Can he bring out the best from the current batch of American players? Agassi might help TaylorFritz reach his first Grand Slam finals.
Borg and McEnroe would captain Team Europe and Team World for the last time. It should be bittersweet like Federer’s farewell two years ago.
This year’s edition of the Laver Cup will be a close call. Tommy Paul and Alex de Minaur, both representing Team World, are the most improved players in the ATP Tour this season. But Berlin is the venue of the latest team event. Alexander Zverev plays well in front of the home fans. And Carlos Alcaraz is head and shoulders above the rest. Team Europe will win the 2024 Laver Cup. And it would be their first in three years. Your thoughts?
The 2024 Laver Cup will be held on September 20-22. Fans can go to Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany.
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