Does the Laver Cup work without Federer, Nadal and Djokovic?
For the first time, the Laver Cup will take place without one of the big three. Can the young representatives of Europe and the world team with veteran John Isner bring the hall to a boil in Boston from September 24th to 26th, 2021?
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Aug 24, 2021, 07:48 am
Roger Federer in doubles with Rafael Nadal - Prague was looking forward to it at the premiere of the Laver Cup in 2017. A year later in Chicago, Federer and Novak Djokovic , who have known each other for decades, only came closer to each other as teammates in the European selection. In 2019, in the last edition of the continental comparison, a home game for organizer Federer in Geneva. Boston as the venue had to be postponed a year due to the corona pandemic, but it should be so far in about a month.
Only: What is the big story this time that attracts the masses into the hall and in front of the TV sets? The Europeans, who have won all three previous editions of the Laver Cup, are sending a strong group to Boston, led by Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev , who recently remembered the North American audience with their successes in Toronto and Cincinnati. Stefanos Tsitsipas will be at the start as well as Matteo Berrettini, complemented by Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev . Björn Borg, the European captain, has a good laugh.
Opelka and Kyrgios for Team World
On the part of the rest of the world, hopes rest less on Denis Shapovalov and Félix Auger-Aliassime , but rather on the broad shoulders of Reilly Opelka. Just a few days ago he reached the final in Toronto quite surprisingly, where he didn't see much land against Daniil Medvedev. John Isner adds the Elder Statesman, Diego Schwartzman and Nick Kyrgios to John McEnroe's team. Nick Kyrgios? Didn't he have physical as well as emotional problems? Indeed, at Winston Salem, the Australian pulled back ahead of his opening match against Andy Murray.
The good news: Kyrgios usually surpasses himself in team competitions, in the TD Boston Garden, where his favorite NBA team, the Boston Celtics, play their home games, should that be the case even more.
But will that be enough to satisfy the fans who, at least in anticipation, bought their tickets from Roger Federer? It can be assumed that at least one US Open finalist will also play at the Laver Cup. Because in addition to Novak Djokovic, the aforementioned Europeans are very strong candidates for a place in the New York City final.
The mode, which has always been a source of tension regardless of the cast, could also help. Wins only count one point on the first day, two on the second and three points on the final day. The well-known patriotic US audience will hardly care whether the counters for Team World’s first victory go to Opelka, Isner or Shapovalov.