Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, September 25, 2024
Roger Federer is Laver Cup founder and a devoted fan of the format.
Former world No. 1 Federer shared his one wish for the 2024 Laver Cup.
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Bring the best to Berlin.
Speaking to Eurosport after Team World delivered a 13-2 shellacking of Team Europe to successfully defend Laver Cup in Vancouver, Federer cited his European Dream Team for Berlin.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, German gold-medal champion Alexander Zverev and 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev are Federer's choices to help Team Europe reclaim the Cup when the seventh edition of the event returns to European soil next fall.
"I would like to see Novak again, Alcaraz and Novak on the same team," Federer told Eurosport's Barbara Schett. "Sascha Zverev would be great for the German market. Someone like [Holger] Rune, that really hurt Team Europe.
"Rune and [Stefanos] Tsitsipas pulling out. [Daniil] Medvedev would be great. I like watching [Andrey] Rublev, and maybe someone will come through.”
Perhaps Federer's public request could persuade Alcaraz to make his Laver Cup debut next September. Alcaraz has long listed Federer as one of his top tennis inspirations.
Alcaraz credited Federer's artful elegance for his affinity for the lawn game en route to winning Queen's Club last June.
"I enjoying playing on grass. I mean, playing on grass is beautiful, and I would say the game of everybody become, you know, more beautiful, I would say," Alcaraz told the media in London. "Serve and volley, return and volley, you know, slices.
"I would say Federer put elegance into play on grass. I am talking for me."
Though Federer helped lead Team Europe to multiple Laver Cups and said he'd like to someday succeed Hall of Famer Bjorn Borg as Laver Cup captain, the Swiss Maestro credited captain John McEnroe's Team World for their pure dominance of the weekend.
"They destroyed Team Europe. Team World played fantastic, they really brought the energy," Federer said. “Everybody brought a point, they were stronger in the doubles.
"In the singles too, they were moving fast, they were ready to go. They thoroughly deserved victory.”
Photo credit: Carlos Alcaraz Instagram