VANCOUVER/STARNBERG, September 25, 2023
Just two years ago, Team World suffered a decisive 14-1 defeat at the hands of Team Europe at the Laver Cup. However, the tides have now completely turned, with John McEnroe‘s team successfully defending their title with an impressive 13-2 victory in Canada. The pivotal point that secured their Laver Cup crown came from Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, who emerged victorious against Hubert Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev in the opening doubles match on Sunday.
Entering the day’s matches, the defending champions knew that just one win out of the four scheduled matches would be sufficient to secure victory. Tiafoe and Shelton managed to achieve this, prevailing 7-6(4), 7-6(5) to secure the title in their first opportunity.
On top of the world once more 🏆@BenShelton and @FTiafoe secure #LaverCup 2023 for Team World. pic.twitter.com/hOhOWJXWCC
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 24, 2023
“It’s been crazy for me and I’ve enjoyed being in a team environment,” Shelton said. “I’ve enjoyed playing for Johnny Mac. Team World really brought the energy this week. It’s easy for me to play when I’m amped up and hyped and the bench has done a great job of hyping me up all week. I hope I’ve done a good job of hyping them up too. Playing with Frances speaks for itself, easiest guy to play with, most fun guy to be on court with.”
Tiafoe said, “Being a part of it last year and clinching it last year was so emotional, first time. John [McEnroe] was super excited. Now, being able to do it again in doubles with Ben was a lot of fun.”
Team Europe had dominated the Laver Cup in its first four editions, an event co-founded by Swiss legend Roger Federer. However, the recent momentum shift has seen Team World claim the last two titles, showcasing their growing competitiveness and prowess in the competition.
“It felt unbelievable to kick their a** baby!” McEnroe said. “They kicked ours many times. It was a battle to the end when we won last year and we came in, great team spirit, good combination of youth and experience. I felt it from the word go and we stepped up. I thought all the guys played great.”
