“Don't lose for me on my last one, okay?” John McEnroe urges Team World to win third Laver Cup title
ATP
John
McEnroe has called on his Laver Cup players to secure victory before he steps
down. The former World No. 1 is ending his 7-year tenure as Team World captain
and will be replaced by Andre Agassi starting in 2025, while Björn Borg will be
succeeded by Yannick Noah.
The 7-time
Grand Slam champion hopes to achieve a third consecutive victory for Team
World, which in the last two editions managed to reduce the historical score to
4-2, after four years of European dominance since the tournament's inception in
2017.
McEnroe pushes for Laver Cup triumph
The team
assembled by McEnroe consists of Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe,
Alejandro Tabilo, Francisco Cerundolo, and Thanasi Kokkinakis. In recent days,
Alex De Minaur and Tommy Paul withdrew, and Cerundolo and Kokkinakis came in as
replacements for the initially planned team.
In a press
conference, John McEnroe was asked if he expects to achieve a third consecutive
win: “That sounds like an incredible thing. Since this is my last year, and
it's been a blast, it would be amazing to go out in style,” said the 4-time US
Open champion.
“So we're
going to go out guns blazing. We've got a great group. There is a lot of energy
in that building right now, and it's going to be even more over the weekend.
We're pumped up to give it our best shot.”
While
answering the question alongside the rest of the team, McEnroe jokingly
'threatened' them, after banging his hand on the table: “If they lose -- don't
lose for me on my last one, okay? That's all I'm saying,” joked McEnroe.
Frances Tiafoe at 2022 Laver Cup.
McEnroe
also shared his favorite memories as Team World captain in the Laver Cup:
“First of all, you know me well enough to know that Rod Laver was my idol,” he
began. “Roger Federer to me is the most beautiful player I have ever seen play
on a tennis court. To be able to look on the other side and see my greatest
rival and great friend, Bjorn Borg, and have my brother as my right-hand man,
it's pretty hard to top that for me personally.”
“Without a
doubt, you know, when Frances won that final point in London (2022) would be
the greatest moment in history for me, I'll let Patrick finish, but when we
finally got -- I was starting honestly to feel like the Washington Generals
with the Globetrotters. None of us wanted to feel that. So that was an
incredible moment. We carried that through last year.”
“Now we
have a chance to go out unbelievably, like three in a row. So that would
be incredible,” McEnroe stated.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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