Bill Simons
Of late, tennis has had some problems. We can say it out loud. The once glorious Davis Cup now seems adrift. From Atlanta to Newport, America is losing once grand tournaments, and the move to lengthen run-of-the-mill tourneys is fizzling. And, please, let’s not even talk about drugs or that oil kingdom that’s trying to buy a chunk of our sport.
But amid the gloom, there’s some glee. Many a tennis lover knows that eight years ago, seemingly out of nowhere, the Laver Cup emerged to give the sport a much needed jolt of energy.
The inventive three-day tennis celebration, with its user-friendly scoring system, was a lightning bolt that woke up the game. Suddenly, somber, weather-worn touring pros seemed transformed. Long-time foes were now teammates. Somehow they tapped into their latent passion and played with newfound zeal.
Thanks to the Laver Cup’s inspired format, fans were now guaranteed to see, in one session, a good number of truly elite players, rather than sitting through a “Why did I pay a king’s ransom to see a forgettable, 6-1, 6-2 blowout?”
Plus, insiders know that nothing in the game beats the hospitality the Laver Cup offers. “Hey, isn’t that Federer?” “Rod Laver is such a noble man.” And next September 19-21, the Laver Cup is coming to one of the great cities in the world, San Francisco, which hasn’t hosted top-drawer men’s tennis in 29 years. And early this week, the sizzling-three day happening got a whole lot more sizzle.
Carlos Alcaraz, the most charismatic player on the globe, will be coming to Baghdad by the Bay. And these days, it seems that the bounding, uber-athletic Alcaraz isn’t allowed to play a match without unleashing an array of jaw-dropping shots that astonish us. Plus, there’s the sheer delight that the still-not-jaded Spanish kid plays with. At the French Open, Mats Wilander asked the 21-year-old, who’s already lifted four Slam trophies, “Do you know the one thing you do more than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic?” Carlos replied, “No.” Mats succinctly informed him. “Smile.”
Another thing that will bring a smile to Laver Cup fans is the presence of the big-hitting US Open finalist Taylor Fritz, who just had the best year of any American man since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Finally, it must be repeated that the Laver Cup’s hospitality has a unique feel-good buzz. Sure, the Laver Cup is fierce combat. Players leave town with battle scars. But, all the while, you get the feeling that a party’s about to break out. So, tennis lovers, you might want to get moving, before hospitality opportunities vanish. Tournament hospitality packages are now on sale. Full ticket packages are available in February and multi-session ticket packages will go on sale in April. Single-session tickets go on sale in May. For information, visit lavercup.com.
