It’s that time of year when attention turns to the Laver Cup, taking place from September 20-22 in Berlin. This exciting competition will see some of the world’s top players compete in a showdown between Team Europe and Team World. However, Team Europe will be without three major stars: Italy’s Jannik Sinner, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, and Spain’s Rafael Nadal. The reigning world number one in men’s singles, Sinner, decided to withdraw months ago to focus on other events.
Similarly, Djokovic, often hailed as the greatest player in men’s tennis history with 24 Grand Slam titles, also opted out of the competition to concentrate on different tournaments. Nadal, another big name, has ruled himself out due to a lack of match fitness, announcing his decision last Thursday. He explained to Eurosport, “Right now, I’m not in a position to win anything. I said I would play until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and then reassess. I’m currently taking time to rest. Mentally, I feel good and physically, I’m fine too. I’m at home enjoying other activities and training as much as I can. These are the decisions that must be made, and it was a possibility. I haven’t competed for a while, and I need to do what’s best for the team. At this moment, there are other players who can help secure the win.”
Despite their absences, Team Europe boasts an impressive lineup, including Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, Germany’s Alexander Zverev, Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, Norway’s Casper Ruud, Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, and Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff. Meanwhile, Team World will feature American players Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, along with Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo, and Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Laver Cup and ATP Announce Five-Year Extension to Partnership
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