Wikipedia - Laver Cup

The Laver Cup is an international indoor hard court men's team tennis tournament between Team Europe and Team World, the latter of which is composed of players from all other continents except Europe. Usually held annually since 2017, the tournament is intended to be the Ryder Cup of the tennis world. It normally takes place two weeks after the US Open, with the location rotating between various host cities (that usually do not have an ATP Tour event); alternating yearly between European cities and cities in the rest of the world. In addition to the guaranteed participation fees which are based upon the players' ATP rankings, each member of the winning team gets $250,000 in prize money, but the tournament itself does not count towards the players' point totals in the ATP Tour for that year.

In May 2019, the Laver Cup became an officially sanctioned ATP Tour event. Matches during the Laver Cup tournament differ from conventional 3-set matches played on the ATP Tour; in the event when the match is tied at one set all, a 10-point “match tiebreak” is played instead of a deciding final set (this is to ensure that all matches conclude within a reasonable timeframe of approximately two hours, whilst enabling four matches to be completed within a match day – that begins either at 1 pm local time for Days 1 and 2, or at 12 noon local time for the final Day 3 of the tournament). In addition, unlike conventional ATP tour matches, coaching of match participants is commonly applied courtside by teammates and team captains.

History

The tournament is named after Australian Rod Laver, a tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest in the history of the sport (He won all four major titles in the same calendar year, winning the Grand Slam twice in singles, in 1962 and 1969; the latter remains the only time a man has done so in the Open Era.) Roger Federer's management company, TEAM8, Brazilian businessman and former Davis Cup player Jorge Paulo Lemann, and Tennis Australia partnered to create the Laver Cup. Roger Federer was inspired to create a tennis team tournament based on the biennial Ryder Cup golf tournament, which features the best golfers from the United States playing against the best golfers from Europe. However, Laver Cup differs as it is purely an invitational event based on past historical performances; selection of (and the playing agreement with) the tournament participants are not automatically based from the highest ranked players of the recent ATP Tour world rankings.

Former rivals Björn Borg of Sweden (Team Europe) and John McEnroe of the United States (Team World) were announced to serve as captains for at least the first three editions. After the 2019 edition, they announced that they will reprise their roles as team captains for a fourth straight edition.

2017: Inaugural edition

The O2 Arena in Prague during the first Laver Cup.

The first edition was held in Prague from 22 to 24 September 2017, at the O2 Arena. Team Europe defeated Team World 15–9. Despite the 6 point score difference, this was a very tight battle from day 1. In the last match, Roger Federer defeated Nick Kyrgios 4-6 7-6 (6) 11-9, after coming back from 8-5 down in the final tiebreak, as well as saving a match point at 9-8.

Team Europe
Captain: Björn Borg
Player Rank
Rafael Nadal 1
Roger Federer 2
Alexander Zverev 4
Marin Čilić 5
Dominic Thiem 7
Tomáš Berdych 19
Team World
Captain: John McEnroe
Player Rank
Sam Querrey 16
John Isner 17
Nick Kyrgios 20
Jack Sock 21
Denis Shapovalov 51
Frances Tiafoe 72
  • Singles rankings as of 18 September 2017

2018

The second edition was held in Chicago from 21 to 23 September 2018, at the United Center. Team Europe defeated Team World 13–8.

Team Europe
Captain: Björn Borg
Player Rank
Roger Federer 2
Novak Djokovic 3
Alexander Zverev 5
Grigor Dimitrov 7
David Goffin 11
Kyle Edmund 16
Team World
Captain: John McEnroe
Player Rank
Kevin Anderson 9
John Isner 10
Diego Schwartzman 14
Jack Sock 17
Nick Kyrgios 27
Frances Tiafoe 40
  • Singles rankings as of 17 September 2018

2019

2019 Laver Cup at the Palexpo

The third edition was held in Geneva from 20 to 22 September 2019, at the Palexpo. Team Europe defeated Team World 13−11.

Team Europe
Captain: Björn Borg
Player Rank
Rafael Nadal 2
Roger Federer 3
Dominic Thiem 5
Alexander Zverev 6
Stefanos Tsitsipas 7
Fabio Fognini 11
Team World
Captain: John McEnroe
Player Rank
John Isner 20
Milos Raonic 24
Nick Kyrgios 27
Taylor Fritz 30
Denis Shapovalov 33
Jack Sock 210
  • Singles rankings as of 16 September 2019

2021

The fourth edition was held in Boston from 24 to 26 September 2021, at the TD Garden. Team Europe defeated Team World 14−1.

Team Europe
Captain: Björn Borg
Player Rank
Daniil Medvedev 2
Stefanos Tsitsipas 3
Alexander Zverev 4
Andrey Rublev 5
Matteo Berrettini 7
Casper Ruud 10
Team World
Captain: John McEnroe
Player Rank
Félix Auger-Aliassime 11
Denis Shapovalov 12
Diego Schwartzman 15
Reilly Opelka 19
John Isner 22
Nick Kyrgios 95
  • Singles rankings as of 20 September 2021

2022

Team World gets their first win at the 2022 Laver Cup.

The fifth edition was held in London from 23 to 25 September 2022, at the O2 Arena.

This tournament marked the retirement of Roger Federer. Team World defeated Team Europe for the first time by a margin of 13−8.

Team Europe
Captain: Björn Borg
Player Rank
Casper Ruud 2
Rafael Nadal* 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas 6
Novak Djokovic 7
Andy Murray 43
Roger Federer* nr
Matteo Berrettini* 15
Cameron Norrie* 8
Team World
Captain: John McEnroe
Player Rank
Taylor Fritz 12
Félix Auger-Aliassime 13
Diego Schwartzman 17
Frances Tiafoe 19
Alex de Minaur 22
Jack Sock 128
  • Singles rankings as of 19 September 2022
  • nr = not ranked
  • * = Federer and Nadal only played a doubles match on Day 1, and were replaced by alternates Berrettini and Norrie from Day 2.

2023

The sixth edition was held in Vancouver from 22 to 24 September 2023, at Rogers Arena. Team World defeated Team Europe 13−2.

Team Europe
Captain: Björn Borg
Player Rank
Andrey Rublev 6
Casper Ruud 9
Hubert Hurkacz 16
Alejandro Davidovich 25
Arthur Fils 44
Gaël Monfils 142
Team World
Captain: John McEnroe
Player Rank
Taylor Fritz 8
Frances Tiafoe 11
Tommy Paul 13
Félix Auger-Aliassime 14
Ben Shelton 19
Francisco Cerúndolo 21
  • Singles rankings as of 18 September 2023

2024

The seventh edition will be held in Berlin from 20 to 22 September 2024, at Uber Arena.

Team Europe
Captain: Björn Borg
Player Rank
Carlos Alcaraz 2
Daniil Medvedev 4
Alexander Zverev 5
Team World
Captain: John McEnroe
Player Rank
  • Singles rankings as of 18 March 2024
The Laver Cup is an annual international tennis tournament that brings together some of the world's top tennis players in a thrilling and unique team format. Named after the legendary Australian tennis player Rod Laver, the tournament aims to honor his remarkable achievements and contributions to the sport.

The Laver Cup features two teams, Team Europe and Team World, competing against each other over the course of three days. The teams are comprised of six players each, with the top-ranked European players facing off against the top-ranked players from the rest of the world.

The tournament takes place on an indoor hard court, adding an extra layer of excitement and intensity to the matches. The format includes both singles and doubles matches, with each match contributing points to the overall team score. The matches are played in a best-of-three sets format, with a tiebreaker in the third set if necessary.

One of the unique aspects of the Laver Cup is the team dynamic. Players who are usually rivals on the ATP Tour come together to form a cohesive unit, supporting and cheering for each other throughout the matches. This camaraderie and team spirit create a captivating atmosphere for both the players and the spectators.

The Laver Cup has quickly gained popularity since its inception in 2017, attracting tennis enthusiasts from around the world. The tournament showcases not only the incredible skills and talent of the participating players but also their ability to adapt to a team environment and work together towards a common goal.

In addition to the thrilling on-court action, the Laver Cup also offers a range of off-court activities and entertainment for fans. From autograph sessions and meet-and-greets with the players to interactive fan zones and live music performances, the tournament provides a complete experience for tennis fans of all ages.

Overall, the Laver Cup is a must-see event for tennis enthusiasts, offering a unique and captivating blend of individual brilliance and team dynamics. With its star-studded lineups, intense matches, and electric atmosphere, the tournament continues to captivate audiences and establish itself as one of the most exciting events on the tennis calendar.