LAVER CUP, June 29, 2018
Novak Djokovic, one of the most prolific champions in world tennis, will join Roger Federer to spearhead Team Europe’s defense of the Laver Cup in Chicago in September.
Twelve-time Grand Slam singles champion Djokovic, one of only eight male players to complete a career Grand Slam, is also the first man since Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time. He has made an impressive return to the game, reaching the final at Queen’s last week, after being sidelined by injury for much of the past year.
“I’m very excited about playing the Laver Cup in Chicago later this year and helping to defend the title for Team Europe,” Djokovic said.
“I love the whole concept of ‘rivals becoming teammates’ and can’t wait to join Roger Federer in Team Europe under the leadership of our inspirational captain, Bjorn Borg, one of the most accomplished players in tennis history.
“Roger and I have played so many tough matches, and he is such a great champion so it will be a unique experience being part of the same team and perhaps even playing doubles together.
“I watched the Laver Cup on TV last year and it looked amazing. All the players competed with such passion and the team spirit was extraordinary – everyone was working together, cheering for each other and even coaching from the bench during matches. I can’t wait to be part of that experience.
“It’s always fun to discover a new city and I can’t wait to explore Chicago. There’s a large Serbian community in the city and I hope they come out and support me and Team Europe.”
Team Europe Captain Bjorn Borg is delighted to have the former world No.1 in his team and has committed to selecting him as a Captain’s Pick.
“Novak is one of the great champions of our game and I’m thrilled he will be joining Team Europe at the Laver Cup this year. He is a true team player and we’ve seen how much he thrives in that environment.
“I have no doubt Novak will join Roger as another great leader in our team and his flair and showmanship will provide just as much value off the court as in the matches.
“As the defending champions, and playing in Chicago, Team World territory, there’ll be a lot of pressure on our players to perform. Novak is a big match player, he’s been in those tough situations many times before, and he’ll bring not just tremendous experience, but a great attitude and work ethic as well. I’m very excited to welcome him to Team Europe.”
The second edition of the Laver Cup will take place at the United Center, Chicago, from September 21-23, 2018. The inaugural Laver Cup took place in Prague in September last year. Team Europe won 15-9 in a thrilling decider, with Roger Federer saving a match point against Team World’s Nick Kyrgios to hoist the stunning Laver Cup trophy.
Fast Facts:
· The Laver Cup is a three-day tournament pitting a team of six of the best tennis players from Europe against six of their counterparts from the rest of the world
· Björn Borg is captain of Team Europe and John McEnroe is captain of Team World
· Thomas Enqvist and Patrick McEnroe are vice captains of Team Europe and Team World
· Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will play for Team Europe andNick Kyrgios has been confirmed for Team World
· The tournament is named in honor of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, the only man to win two calendar-year Grand Slams, and one of the greatest players of all time
· The unique format of the tournament showcases tennis superstars competing on the same team, playing singles, pairing up in doubles and cheering each other from the sidelines
· The inaugural Laver Cup was held at the O2 arena in Prague, Czech Republic, from September 22-24, 2017, with Team Europe defeating Team World 15-9
· The location will rotate between major cities in Europe and the rest of the world each year
· The 2018 edition of the Laver Cup will take place at the United Center in Chicago, United States, from September 21-23, 2018.
Playing format:
· Each team comprises six players and is led by a team captain
· The competition is played over three days – Friday, Saturday and Sunday
· There are five sessions, two on Friday and Saturday, and one on Sunday
· Four matches are played daily, three singles and one doubles
· Each match win will be worth one point on Friday, two points on Saturday and three points on Sunday
· The first team to reach 13 points wins the Laver Cup
· In the event of a tie after all 12 matches have been completed, a final overtime doubles match is played as a regular set with ad scoring and a tiebreak
· Both singles and doubles are best-of-three sets with ad scoring, with the third set decided by a 10-point tiebreak in the event of split sets
· Each player will play at least one singles match during the first two days
· No player will play singles more than twice during the three days
· At least four of the six players must play doubles
· Match-ups will be determined prior to each day of play through the exchange of line-up cards by the captains.
Player qualification:
· Players for Team Europe and Team World must qualify or be selected as ‘captain’s picks’ by their team captain
· Each team comprises six players, with four players on each team qualifying based on their ATP singles ranking as of the Monday following Wimbledon
· Two players on each team are ‘captain’s picks’ and will be announced by the Monday after the US Open.
