LONDON — Grand Slam champion Alexander Zverev and American legend Andre Agassi led a staunch defense of the Laver Cup ahead of the latest edition of the polarizing event in London this week.
In the midst of the packed tennis calendar, Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz and rising stars Rafael Jodar and Jakub Mensik are among the stars appearing in the exhibition at the O2 Arena from Friday to Sunday.
The Laver Cup is a three-day tournament on hard courts, pitting players from Europe against opponents from the rest of the world in a rare team event in a sport dominated by singles competition.
Although the Davis Cup is well established as the number one team competition in tennis, the Laver Cup was launched in 2017 as the brainchild of Roger Federer and Tennis Australia.
The plan was to emulate the drama of golf’s Ryder Cup — which featured teams from the United States and Europe.
Unlike the Ryder Cup, the Laver Cup has yet to capture the imagination of the sporting public.
There are also concerns about cramming another tournament in the already hectic schedule for players at risk of burnout.
But to hear two-time major winner Zverev, and Agassi, who is serving as captain of Team World, speak with such conviction about the Laver Cup tells a different story.
“It’s really exciting. The arena is spectacular. It is one of the great events of the year,” Agassi, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, said. “All these players are out there, maybe on some level trying to impress each other. The competition and intensity is always high.”
World No. 2 Zverev could have been forgiven for opting out of the Laver Cup after winning the US Open on Sept. 13 to cap a golden year.
The 29-year-old German, who had never won a major until this year, wanted to show solidarity with an event that has supported him in the past. AFP
