Why Roger Federer is under fire over the Laver Cup
German tennis boss Ulrich Klaus has spoken of his dislike of the Laver Cup – the brainchild of Roger Federer.
Federer came up with the concept of the Laver Cup as a way to honour Australian tennis legend Rod Laver.
It sees an all-star line-up of players from Team Europe and Team World battle it out over three days in an exhibition event.
Federer led Team Europe to victory in the second annual Laver Cup last weekend, but the concept has since come under fire.
According to Klaus, the event is an unnecessary addition to an already packed schedule.
“We do not need even more competitions,” Klaus was quoted by German publication Stimme.de on Tuesday.
“There are so many events now. I think it doesn’t do us any favours.
“Players cannot do everything.”
While not directly referencing Federer, Klaus’ comments probably won’t be well received by the Swiss Maestro.
Federer recently conceded that players in the Laver Cup were facing a very heavy schedule at the back end of the season, but was rapt with how they’d embraced the event.
“The first year you’re not sure how ticket sales are going to go and you don’t know how every player is going to play, how they’re going to embrace the format, but I thought was that they wouldn’t have to work that hard,” said the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
“I know it’s super intense but it’s just three days and it’s once a year so I just thought that could be a concept that could really resonate with everybody but that everybody would get so into it and be so pumped up and pleased about it.
“I mean, that is beyond my wildest expectations to be honest.”
Fans embrace Laver Cup in Chicago
The three-day, five-session tournament at the United Centre in Chicago drew 93,584 fans.
Team World had the momentum and the crowd going into the final day after closing the gap to 7-5 after Saturday’s action.
But the Laver Cup, which has shown it is no exhibition event after last year’s debut in Prague, was unpredictable and irresistible.
The all-star team from Europe led by Swedish great Bjorn Borg – which also included Grigor Dimitrov, David Goffin and Kyle Edmund – was the one celebrating after three intense days of competition.
“It’s been an unbelievable week,” Borg said.
“I’m very proud of my team, we knew it’s going to be very difficult to beat Team World with John as the captain.
With next year’s tournament back in Europe at the ‘PalExpo’ centre in Geneva, Switzerland, the John McEnroe-captained Team World will have their work cut out if they are to claim the trophy for the first time.
with AAP