- Title: Laver Cup lineup announced
- Date: 23rd August 2017
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 23, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MARIN CILIC AND TOMAS BERDYCH WALKING ON STAGE WITH ROGER FEDERER AND ROD LAVER SEATED CILIC AND BERDYCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROGER FEDERER, SAYING: "Yes, so the last member of Team Europe is going to be picked by Bjorn Borg as the captain's pick. It's going to be Alexander Zverev, which we're very excited about because he's had a wonderful year. That's great news. We were very excited when we heard it." CILIC, BERDYCH AND FEDERER SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN MCENROE, SAYING: "Absolutely, I think this young man is going to be a great, great player in the future. He's a Canadian, but we won't hold that against him. He is also a left hander like Mr. Rod Laver and myself. So I'm excited to announce Denis Shapovalov as one of my captain's picks." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DENIS SHAPOVALOV, SAYING: "It's a little nerve wracking to be sitting with all these great athletes, a little bit nervous, but it's a fun time for me." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN MCENROE, SAYING: "One more pick. He's a tremendous young man, a little bit older and a veteran, and a winner, and happy to see him back in some great form, the Argentine Juan Martin del Potro." CILIC, BERDYCH, FEDERER, LAVER, MCENROE, SHAPOVALOV SEATED PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN MCENROE, SAYING: "This man right here. This is my idol growing up and we're looking to do something big here, along the lines of the Ryder Cup in golf. And I think this is a magnificent way to try to get this going and it couldn't be a better man to represent what we're trying to do here." CILIC, BERDYCH, FEDERER, LAVER, MCENROE, SHAPOVALOV SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN MCENROE, SAYING: "I think that if the rest of the world wants any chance of winning, I will not be playing." CILIC, BERDYCH, FEDERER, LAVER, MCENROE, SHAPOVALOV SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROD LAVER, SAYING: "When I look at the Europeans and the strength that they have, and the experience that's on their side, I think, we're in a way a young team. Denis certainly is young. But I think John's capable of putting this team together and bringing off a win for the rest of the world." OFF CAMERA JOHN MCENROE, SAYING: "I'm not going there to lose." CILIC, BERDYCH, FEDERER, LAVER, MCENROE, SHAPOVALOV SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARIN CILIC, SAYING: "It just gives you an opportunity to you know be in a unique team, be with these great gentleman and great champions, and obviously to learn from them. With this kind of event, I believe that even the popularity of tennis can grow and everyone can have a positive impact on it." CILIC, BERDYCH, FEDERER, LAVER, MCENROE, SHAPOVALOV POSING FOR PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROGER FEDERER, SAYING: "I am where I want to be. I just took it slow because I could. I had two weeks, so there was no rush trying to get... having to play points or matches within a few days after Cincinnati, after Montreal sorry. So it was for me really just taking my time, go after my schedule and not force it. I'll be better off if I go on that schedule and I still have four or five days. So it's all good." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROD LAVER, SAYING: "The world's best 12 players will be competing. Three singles matches and a doubles match each session. So where else can you see this?" LAVER CUP SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROD LAVER, SAYING: (SPEAKING ABOUT INJURIES) "We never hit it more than half a dozen balls in a point. Now they may be hitting 20, 30, 40 balls in a point. And so it's taking it's toll." LAVER TALKING TO MEDIA CREW (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROD LAVER, SAYING: "I think I'd root for the rest of the world at the moment because we were battling to find you know a team that can compete with Europe. You look at Roger and Rafa and Nadal and Federer and all the group that are there, some of them are injured, yes, but just below that level, Cilic, there's just a whole group. And I think, to me, and I don't know whether I'm picking sides, because I don't feel... I just want to see great matches and I want to feel like it's close, not just an area where they just can't win a match. Hopefully John McEnroe has that under control." CILIC, BERDYCH, FEDERER, LAVER, MCENROE, SHAPOVALOV POSING FOR PICTURES
- Embargoed: 6th September 2017 20:00
- Keywords: Laver Cup Rod Laver John McEnroe Roger Federer tennis
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Sport,Tennis
- Reuters ID: LVA0016VDPVEN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Germany's Alexander Zverev, ranked sixth in the world, was named to the Europe team that will take on the rest of the world in the inaugural Laver Cup.
The announcement was made by Team Europe member Roger Federer during a news conference in New York on Wednesday (August 23).
Canada's Denis Shapovalov, ranked 69, and Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro, ranked 28 by ATP, round out the rest of the world team.
The Laver Cup, tennis's answer to golf's Ryder Cup, will be a rare chance to see the game's top players team up. The tournament will see teams of six from Europe and the rest of the world compete in singles and doubles over three days. Tennis greats Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe will captain the European and World sides at the event in Prague in September.
McEnroe said he was honored to be the first Laver Cup Team World captain. "We're looking to do something big here."
The competition, named after 79-year-old Australian Laver, the only player to win two calendar year grand slams among 11 major titles in all, will be annual, except in Olympic year.
Laver said, "I think I'd root for the rest of the world at the moment because we were battling to find you know a team that can compete with Europe."
He added, "When I look at the Europeans and the strength that they have, and the experience that's on their side, I think, we're in a way a young team. Denis certainly is young. But I think John's capable of putting this team together and bringing off a win for the rest of the world."
Just days before the U.S. Open tournament in New York, Roger Federer, who injured his back in the Rogers Cup Final in Montreal, said "I am where I want to be." "It's all good." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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