LAVER CUP Press Release, June 16, 2023
Roland Garros finalist Casper Ruud has confirmed he will represent Team Europe for the third time at this year’s Laver Cup, to be held at Rogers Arena in Vancouver from September 22-24, 2023.The highest-ranked Norwegian in ATP history and a three-time Grand Slam singles finalist, world No. 4 Ruud is undefeated in Laver Cup competition following decisive singles victories at Boston 2021 and London 2022. He will join World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, No. 6 Holger Rune, and No. 7 Andrey Rublev on Captain Bjorn Borg’s Team Europe at the sixth edition of the Laver Cup, with two spots remaining. “Casper is an exceptionally talented and dedicated young athlete making his way to the top of the sport,” said Borg. “I have no doubt he will break through to win a major soon. He has proven himself to be such an asset for Team Europe as a player and a teammate. It’s a privilege to have him back on the blue team.” Oslo-born Ruud, 24, holds 10 ATP singles titles and has been a stand-out contender among the next generation of players, compiling excellent results on clay and hard court surfaces. “It has been an honor competing for Team Europe these past two years, playing on the same team with an unbelievable group of champions, and with Bjorn Borg as our captain,” Ruud said. “I have gained so much from the experience. In Vancouver my goal will be to do all I can to help Team Europe win back the Cup.” The former World No. 1 junior won his 10th ATP title at Estoril in April and was a semi-finalist at the Rome Masters where he lost to Scandinavian rival Rune, who he later defeated in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. Ruud reached his first Grand Slam final in Paris 12 months ago, falling to 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal. He then pushed Carlos Alcaraz to four sets in the US Open final in 2022 and climbed to a career-high No.2. Ruud eased through to his second consecutive final at Roland Garros last week, where he faced an inspired Novak Djokovic, on the hunt for a record 23 major titles. Europe are four-time Laver Cup champions winning at Prague in 2017, Chicago 2018, Geneva 2019 and Boston 2021 where Ruud made his Laver Cup debut at TD Garden defeating Reilly Opelka in the opening match. While Ruud won the opening match in London 2022 at the O2 Arena in a tight battle with Jack Sock, Team World eventually staged its maiden victory over Team Europe 13-8. The Vancouver edition promises to be equally competitive, with Team World Captain John McEnroe so far announcing four players on his six-man team – World No. 8 Taylor Fritz, No. 11 Felix Auger-Aliassime, No. 12 Frances Tiafoe and No. 25 Nick Kyrgios. Each team’s remaining players will be named between now and the start of the US Open. Named in honor of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, winner of the calendar-year Grand Slam in 1962 and 1969, the Laver Cup is played on a dramatic black court that will be constructed within Rogers Arena. The three-day competition sees rivals become teammates as six of the top men’s tennis players from Europe face off against six of their counterparts from the rest of the world. Multi-session ticket packages and single-session tickets for Laver Cup Vancouver 2023 are on sale via Ticketmaster.
