Roger Federer names which two tennis legends helped save the Laver Cup
Roger Federer has thanked John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg for their faith in him during a time when the Swiss player was trying to launch the Laver Cup.
Team Europe and Team World are preparing for the seventh edition of the tournament in a competition that has come to be warmly welcomed by fans and players alike.
But that interest was not always a certainty when Federer was inspired to create a tournament based off Gold’s Ryder Cup which sees a European team go up against an American one.
Federer collaborated with Brazilian businessman Jorge Paulo Lemann and Tennis Australia to create the tournament, named after Rod Laver, but the Swissman has credited the work of McEnroe and Borg for ensuring it did not die an early death.
“The Laver Cup has really evolved in a fantastic way, we are very happy with the success we have had with this event,” Federer said, as per TNT Sports. “Personally, I think we have completely exceeded my expectations when we had the idea to create the Laver Cup.
“I am extremely grateful to John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg who helped us at a time when no one really knew what the Laver Cup was going to look like.
“I am happy to see that the players are really attracted to this event and I hope the fans really enjoy it, because that was the idea: to bring a slightly new concept to tennis, which I think can be very beneficial for a lot of people.”
Team World, led by Andre Agassi, are seeking to reclaim the title having lost in the 2024 edition, but with the likes of Carlos Alcaraz on the opposition, it looks to be a tall order.
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Federer said the presence of the recently-crowned US Open champion and the likes of Alexander Zverev make Europe the favourite.
“I think Europe is probably the favourite – mainly because of Alcaraz and Zverev on the team,” Federer said. “Especially Alcaraz – he’s playing tennis on another level, honestly. I always enjoy watching Carlos – he’s a real treat to watch.”
“I do think that Europe probably overall has a stronger team and I think the doubles are not as crucial this time around because I think both teams are about equally strong in the doubles.
“It’s going to come down to the singles. I think with Carlos Alcaraz on the team and him already arriving in San Francisco and ready to go, I give Europe the edge here in San Francisco to take it home again.”
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