Team World’s Shelton And Tiafoe Were Part Of A Generational Shift At This Year’s Laver Cup

Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe
Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe (photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for Laver Cup)

WASHINGTON, September 27, 2023 (by Michael Dickens)

Looking back on the one-sided result of the sixth edition of the Laver Cup, Team World really brought the energy to Vancouver’s Rogers Arena, which drew 72,251 fans for the three-day annual event. Their 13-2 drubbing of undermanned Team Europe gave Team World its second straight Laver Cup victory. To the victors went the larger-than-life Laver Cup, awarded to Team World by the trophy’s namesake Rod Laver.

“It’s easy for me to play when I’m amped up and hyped,” Team World rookie Ben Shelton, 20, who went 3-0 (earning six of Team World’s 13 points) and was part of the winning doubles team along with three-time Laver Cup veteran Frances Tiafoe that clinched the tie, said Sunday.

“Really enjoyed playing for Team World,” Shelton, part of a generational shift of players in the annual competition, added during his team’s victory news conference. “Playing for Johnny Mac, it’s been amazing.

“I really enjoyed this weekend and being able to be chosen for this team. It’s been a dream. To be able to put points on the board for Team World, it’s something that I couldn’t have imagined. I really appreciate both the captains for putting their trust in me, and being able to get it done at the end of the week is a great feeling.”

As Team World, whose deep roster also included World No. 8 Taylor Fritz of the United States, No. 14 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada and No. 21 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina, entered the final day of competition ahead 10-2, following a clean sweep of Friday’s four matches and after winning three of four matches on Saturday – Casper Ruud‘s straight-set win over Tommy Paul earned the only points for Team Europe – Shelton and Tiafoe wasted little time – just an hour and 37 minutes – in defeating Hubert Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev in two tiebreaks, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), in Sunday’s opening match to secure the title for captain John McEnroe‘s team.

Now, it’s four titles for Team Europe and two titles for Team World.

Tiafoe, 25, who provided Team World with its clinching victory in the 2022 Laver Cup and added six points toward this year’s triumph, said that while being part of the glory of last year’s title – beating a team that included Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray – was “so emotional, first time,” to do it again and to team in doubles with Shelton “was a lot of fun.”

Later in press, Tiafoe added: “To go back-to-back, to be with a legend like John, John and Bjorn, obviously their rivalry and friendship now, it’s incredible. You know, happy to just be a small part of this and to be able to win some matches.”

Speaking of McEnroe, he had plenty to say during his team’s victory news conference.

“On behalf of Team World, I am proud of these guys,” he said. “We brought together a great group of some youth and experience, guys that have been here before. Everybody played well.”

Meanwhile, Bjorn Borg, speaking on behalf of Team Europe, did his best to keep his team’s spirits uplifted. He tipped his cap to the champions.

“Team World played unbelievable tennis,” he said. “Every single match they played really good. Of course, we are all very disappointed, because we never expected to lose this score this much. What can you say? They played good tennis. …

“I’m happy with my team, I’m happy with these guys. They took a lot of responsibility to do what they have to do. They gave 100 percent, all these guys. It’s no complaints in that kind of way. …

“Always Team Europe we are a very close team. We have a lot of fun together on the court and off the court. I think that’s very important for a team. I mean, even sitting here, we’re all very disappointed, but we had a great week together. Unfortunately, we lost.”

McEnroe suggested he’s already excited about defending the Laver Cup next year in Berlin. “So, we’re looking, already thinking about next year [in Berlin], because you know, winning is a whole lot better than losing,” he said. “We struggled the first couple of years, and now we have tasted winning and it feels good.”

As McEnroe spoke, Tiafoe and all of his teammates were ready to celebrate.

Sakkari makes a believer of herself

When Greece’s Maria Sakkari won the WTA 1000 Guadalajara Open in Mexico last Saturday over Caroline Dolehide of the United States, winning 7-5, 6-3, not only was it her first time to capture a 1000-series title, it was just her second career WTA crown and first in over four years. She had previously lost six consecutive finals matches.

Four weeks ago, following a difficult and disappointing first-round loss at the US Open to No. 71 Rebecca Masarova, Sakkari, who was seeded eighth at the year’s final major, contemplated taking a break from the WTA Tour.

“I can tell you that it was a very tough all these years, especially the last two years that I’ve been a Top-10 player,” Sakkari said during her final Guadalajara press conference. “Everyone kept saying, ‘Ah, she’s Top 10, Top 5, Top 3, and she has won only one 250.’ Finally, I just can shut their mouths in a way.”

Sakkari smiled for a moment as she spoke, then continued. “Obviously, there’s still a long way to go. I don’t want to stop in the two titles. But I’m just happy for myself that I could overcome this and I can just prove to myself that I’m capable of achieving big things.”

In a separate interview with WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen, Sakkari said: “I’m just very proud of myself. Being like that at the US Open, wanting to take a break, and then finding the joy during the week. It’s a big title, my biggest title, it means so much. But over everything, it’s just pure happiness and pure joy.”

Bypassed for a bye, Rybakina says bye-bye to Tokyo

World No. 5 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan was bypassed for a bye, so she said goodbye to the WTA 500 Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Monday.

Officially, the third-seeded Rybakina withdrew from the Tokyo tournament by citing illness a day before she was scheduled to face Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic. However, the withdrawal came after Rybakina was critical of the WTA for its trial use of performance byes in Tokyo.

In a traditional format, as one of the top seeds, Rybakina would have received a first-round bye. However, under the “performance bye” trial, Rybakina did not receive a bye, which instead went to Guadalajara champion Maria Sakkari of Greece and Guadalajara semifinalist Caroline Garcia of France, who won the WTA Final title last year. Both were seeded lower than Rybakina in the 28-player Tokyo draw.

“Performance bye,” wrote Rybakina in an Instagram post, which immediately drew much attention. “Thank you for changing the rules last moment … great decisions as always, WTA.”

By the numbers

After Sofia Kenin and Caroline Dolehide, both of the United States, made big moves up the WTA Rankings this week, there are now 10 American women in the WTA Top 50:

No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 12 Madison Keys, No. 31 Sofia Kenin, No. 35 Danielle Collins, No. 39 Sloane Stephens, No. 42 Caroline Dolehide, No. 43 Alycia Parks, No. 46 Emma Navarro, No. 47 Peyton Stearns.

Dolehide improved 69 places while Kenin moved up 22 spots.

“Quotable …”

“I just tried to sort of figure out what hopefully makes them tick in a very short period of time. If I could add that tiny little bit, hopefully I bring some energy and passion.

“I think the guys here know I love the event and I believe in this event. I hope it succeeds big time in the future.

“That’s what it’s all about, but you know, I have been around for a while. To me, this is something that I wasn’t expecting, so we’ve got to nurture this. … Hopefully this [the Laver Cup] will be something that’s around for a long time.”

– Team World captain John McEnroe, during Sunday’s victory news conference.

 

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