Roger Federer, the retired tennis legend who contributed to Europe’s three Laver Cup victories, hinted that he might aspire to imagine the captaincy on the crew occasion sooner or later.
The 42-year-old Swiss star would be the topic of a tribute Friday at Rogers Arena to have fun the primary anniversary of his last match in doubles alongside Rafael Nadal on the 2022 Laver Cup in London.
The World Team, with John McEnroe as captain, will attempt to defend the trophy it first captured final 12 months when the sixth Laver Cup begins Friday at Rogers Arena.
“There’s something in me that’s Team Europe,” Federer mentioned. “I’m pleased if the World wins, do not get me improper, however by some means, I can really feel it deep inside – I need Europe to win.
“I like being in the tennis sphere. Maybe one day, I’ll be the captain of the team. There are no plans as of now, but I think that could be quite nice.”
Bjorn Borg serves as Team Europe captain as a brand new era of expertise replaces Federer, Nadal and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.
“Seeing the camaraderie, people from different countries coming together in a team, like me and Rafa or me and Novak, has been wonderful,” Federer mentioned.
“Seeing the fun and the joy that Borg and McEnroe have brought to the teams but also how much they enjoy their roles has been great.”
Seeing uncommon doubles duos is an enormous a part of the occasion for Federer.
“I get very excited about Laver Cup doubles because there are usually teams that we haven’t seen,” Federer mentioned. “I just like superstar combinations.”
An American-dominated lineup will attempt to defend the trophy for the World squad.
Americans Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime return from final 12 months’s international squad, which rallied to beat Europe in London after dropping the primary 4 editions of the indoor hardcourt occasion.
“Winning last year meant a lot to us, even more so because we lost so many times,” Tiafoe mentioned.
Eighth-ranked Fritz, quantity 11 Tiafoe and 14th-ranked Auger-Aliassime are joined by Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, Ben Shelton, the youngest on the crew at 20, and fellow American Tommy Paul, the eldest of captain John McEnroe’s gamers at 26.
Team Europe’s highest-ranked gamers had been Denmark’s fourth-rated Holger Rune and Greece’s fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas however each withdrew from Borg’s facet on account of accidents.
That leaves sixth-ranked Andrey Rublev and Norway’s ninth-ranked Casper Ruud because the veterans of a Europe squad that additionally consists of Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, French teen Arthur Fils, veteran Gael Monfils and Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Not big underdogs
“It feels like the first time when we’re not the huge underdog going in,” U.S. vice-captain Patrick McEnroe mentioned.
“It adds a little different wrinkle this time that both teams go in thinking OK it’s not completely one-sided when you look at the rankings.”
The newest match-up in Vancouver options three singles matches and a doubles match on Friday and Saturday with wins on day one value one level and triumphs on day two value two factors.
Victories on Sunday are value three factors with a doubles match adopted by as many singles matches as wanted to resolve a champion. The first crew to 13 whole factors takes the trophy.
Source: www.dailysabah.com