Tsitsipas and Kyrgios to Play Laver Cup
(August 13, 2019) One of the hottest new rivalries in world tennis is set to play out in Geneva, with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios confirmed for Laver Cup 2019 in September.
World No.7 Tsitsipas, one of tennis’ fastest-rising stars, will make his debut for Team Europe, while Kyrgios will make his third appearance for Team World.
The pair has recently forged a friendship both on and off the court, teaming up for doubles in Washington and Cincinnati, and gave fans a taste of what could become one of the sport’s great future rivalries when they met across the net in a hard-fought semifinal in Washington.
“The Laver Cup is a unique and memorable event in tennis and I can’t wait to join Team Europe in Geneva,” Tsitsipas said.
“For me personally it’s like a dream come true to be part of this incredible team, with Roger and Rafa, who I’ve looked up to since I was a little kid, along with Dom, Sascha and Fabio.
“In tennis we are always out on the court alone, it’s such an individual sport. It’s going to be a new experience for me to play on a team, especially this team of unbelievable champions, and it will be an honor to join all these legends at the Laver Cup.”
Team Europe captain Björn Borg is thrilled to have the talented world No.7 as part of what is arguably one of the best tennis teams the world has ever seen.
“I am very happy to have Stefanos join Team Europe, it’s fantastic, he has been doing so well this year and has had some spectacular results,” Borg said.
“It’s so important to bring in these exciting new, young players, the next generation, to our team, alongside our champions like Roger and Rafa. Stefanos is a truly exciting young player and I know the fans will also love him.”
As one of the most passionate players – and courtside supporters – of Team World for the past two years, Nick Kyrgios is excited about the third Laver Cup in Geneva.
“I’ve always said that the Laver Cup is my favorite week of the year, and how much it means to me to get around the team and play for something bigger than just myself,” Kyrgios said.
“At the Laver Cup it’s not just about me, it’s about doing everything I can to help the other guys feel comfortable, prepare for their matches and even give them some energy from the side of the court, if that’s what needs to be done.
“We’ve had some heartbreaking losses over the past couple of years and it means the world to me to have the chance to get out there again with the team and try to get the win for Team World.”
Team World Captain John McEnroe also has his eye on the Laver Cup trophy as he prepares for Geneva.
“We all know how passionate Nick is about playing for Team World at the Laver Cup, and I’m very happy he’ll be joining us again in Geneva,” McEnroe said.
“Nick’s had some fantastic results recently and he always manages to bring his best game to this event, and he absolutely does whatever he can to support the team, both on and off the court. He’s the ultimate team player.
“Nick, like me and the rest of the team, is extremely motivated to get the win this year. We are not going to Geneva just to make up the numbers – we are going there to bring home that magnificent trophy.”
The third edition of the Laver Cup will take place at Palexpo, Geneva, from September 20-22, 2019. Team Europe hoisted the trophy at the inaugural event in Prague in 2017 and in Chicago in 2018.
| TEAM EUROPE | TEAM WORLD |
| Captain: Björn Borg | Captain: John McEnroe |
| [2] Rafael Nadal | [14] Kevin Anderson |
| [3] Roger Federer | [16] John Isner |
| [4] Dominic Thiem | [20] Milos Raonic |
| [6] Alexander Zverev | [27] Nick Kyrgios |
| [7] Stefanos Tsitsipas | [34] Denis Shapovalov |
| [10] Fabio Fognini | Final player to be named |
Laver Cup 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, respectively
· Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Fabio Fognini are confirmed to play for Team Europe
· Kevin Anderson, John Isner, Milos Raonic, Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov have been confirmed for Team World. The final player will be named in the coming weeks
· 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 on from the sidelines
· The inaugural Laver Cup was held at the O2 arena in Prague, Czech Republic, in September 2017, with Team Europe defeating Team World 15-9
· In September 2018 more than 90,000 fans attended the Laver Cup at the United Center in Chicago, where Team Europe once again edged out Team World to win the second Laver Cup 13-8
· The location will rotate between major cities in Europe and the rest of the world each year.
The Laver Cup is a joint initiative between TEAM8, Tennis Australia, the USTA and Jorge Paulo Lemann and is part of the ATP Tour calendar. The Laver Cup is supported by Founding Partner Rolex and Global Sponsors Mercedes-Benz and Credit Suisse.
