John McEnroe to captain Team World for the last time at Laver Cup: “It was absolutely huge to finally get over the hump and win"

John McEnroe will step down as Team World captain after seven years guiding them through the Laver Cup. The seven-time Grand Slam champion aims to claim a third consecutive victory, relying on key players such as Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Frances Tiafoe.

The former world No. 1 expressed his determination to secure another win and close the historical gap with Team Europe, who dominated the first four editions of the tournament, leaving the head-to-head at 4-2. “It would be great to go out on a high,” McEnroe said.

McEnroe reflects on seven-year journey as Laver Cup captain

The American acknowledged that Team Europe will be the favourites, featuring five players from the top 10 in the ATP rankings. Fritz, currently the only non-European in the top 10 after his US Open final run, will be crucial for Team World. “We play a very formidable team; we’re up against it each year,” McEnroe admitted.

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The four-time US Open champion has led Team World for seven years, coaching players like Nick Kyrgios, Denis Shapovalov, John Isner, Jack Sock, Diego Schwartzman, Milos Raonic, Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Ben Shelton, among others. “They all have their own coaches, [but] you try to add that little bit during the week,” McEnroe explained. “Anytime they want to ask me something, get some advice, I’d be more than happy to help.”

“When bringing a group together for a short period of time, you’ve got to figure out who will lead and who prefers to step back. Some like more advice, others like to offer advice … it’s a great learning experience,” McEnroe added.

John McEnroe at 2021 Laver Cup.

McEnroe highlighted his favourite Laver Cup moments as the two victories in London 2022 and Vancouver 2023. He particularly praised Auger-Aliassime’s performance in 2022, where his doubles and singles wins, including a key victory over Novak Djokovic, broke Team Europe’s four-year winning streak. “It was absolutely huge to finally get over the hump and win one,” McEnroe reminisced. “We were very close a couple of other times.”

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He also commented on his admiration for Carlos Alcaraz, one of his favourite players. However, McEnroe jokingly wished that Alcaraz would have an off weekend during the Laver Cup: “I love Carlos, I have to admit … I hope he plays terribly this weekend. He’s the biggest breath of fresh air we’ve had in the sport in ten years.”

“It’s an event that has added some spark to the tour, I think the players love it, and it’s been highly competitive,” McEnroe concluded.