LAVER CUP, September 20, 2017

Australian tennis legend Rod Laver has become a part of Czech history, being immortalized on a limited-edition postcard and stamp by Czech Post to celebrate the inaugural Laver Cup starting this week.

The Laver Cup is an annual team competition unlike any other in men’s tennis, pittingTeam Europe against Team World and bringing traditional rivals together as teammates.

To mark the special occasion, Czech Post CEO Martin Elkan presented the legendary Rod Laver with more than 200 commemorative postcards at the main Post Office in Prague’s picturesque Jindřišská Street.

The beautifully-designed postcard pictures ‘Rocket’ Rod Laver with the newest trophy in world tennis, the magnificent Laver Cup, a handcrafted masterpiece that has been constructed to celebrate the Australian’s iconic career.

“The tennis players from the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia have always belonged among the best players in the world”, Martin Elkan, CEO of the Czech Post said.

“The home crowds will have the privilege of seeing the first year of the Laver Cup filled with stars.

“I am proud of the fact that the Czech Post has been able to give this tribute to this event and especially to Rod Laver in the form of a unique postcard, which will surely find a place in the souvenir collections of many tennis fans.”

“It’s an incredible honor to have this new event, the Laver Cup, named after me, and I’m humbled to now have this beautiful stamp and postcard produced here in Prague,” Rod Laver said.

“I have wonderful memories of playing here in this beautiful city and am delighted the first ever Laver Cup is being played here. 

“In golf, there is the Ryder Cup, but until now we didn’t have a similar tournament for tennis. As a sport, we need to always evolve and I’m thrilled the Laver Cup will introduce this exciting new format to tennis.”

Here is the postcard

Occasional postcard fast facts

• On 20 September 2017, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic will issue an occasional postcard “LAVER CUP” with a printed letter mark “E” with a graphically designed tennis ball motif in a load of 2,700 pieces
• The stamp with the letter “E” corresponds to the nominal price for priority ordinary parcels up to 50g in European countries, amounting to 32 CZK.
• On the left side of the postal card is Rod Laver with the Laver Cup – the trophy for the tournament winner
• The postcard was printed by Poštovní tiskárna cenin Praha, a.s. with the full-color offset. Below the Czech Post logo, there is a hologram which serves as a protective element. Below the stamp, there is a micro line with a micro text Česká pošta, PTC, 2017
• The sale price of an occasional postcard without a stamp is 37 CZK, and it is 38 CZK with one daily stamp
• Rod Laver was first immortalized on a postage stamp in 2003 by Australia Post.

Rankings as at September 18, 2017