Laver Cup: Roger Federer walks on crutches - and gets a standing ovation
Laver Cup co-organizer Roger Federer surprisingly arrived in Boston and thrilled the fans on the opening day.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Sep 25, 2021, 11:25 am
Last week he had been promoting the Laver Cup from Switzerland, and a personal appearance in Boston did not seem too certain. Now Roger Federer has traveled to the USA after all, to the delight and surprise of fans and fellow campaigners.
It got loud even before the game, when Federer walked into the stadium, an even nicer moment during the opening game between Casper Ruud and Reilly Opelka: The camera caught Federer in his audience box and showed him on the big screen - this was followed by standing ovations. He had arrived last night and came to the stadium in the morning, but he had announced that he would follow the game on TV, it said on US TV.
Federer: Young players should learn from the best
CNBC also had Federer broadcast live with his manager and Laver Cup boss Tony Godsick and John McEnroe, Federer spoke about the importance of the history of tennis, Rod Laver, Björn Borg, John McEnroe. "Tony and I came up with the idea while driving in Shanghai that we could do something for the legacy of the game. Where we could integrate the young players so that they could learn from the best, like John and Björn for example. And that rivals can become teammates. "
Creation of the Laver Cup: Federer, Godsick and a car trip in Shanghai
Godsick had already explained the history of the Laver Cup in 2018. After an event in Shanghai, where Rod Laver was also present, Federer said: "We have to do something to honor Rod Laver. An advertising contract or something. This guy has won 200 titles. And I'm making more money on one Show fight than him in his entire career. Can you imagine telling me not to play Grand Slam tournaments for four and a half years in order to advance professional tennis? He and his colleagues did that. "
Laver had won the Grand Slam in 1962 and 1969, collecting a total of 11 major titles. How many more there could have been is the big question: Laver was not allowed to take part in the Grand Slam tournaments between 1963 and 1967 because he had switched to the professionals. These were only eligible to play in the largest tournaments from 1968, after they became "open" for them - hence the term "open era".