Tennis royalty convened at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for the Laver Cup’s annual opening night gala, a black-tie affair that trades on-court intensity for off-court personality. The event, held the night before the competition begins, drew a crowd of 800 and a stunning lineup of tennis legends, including Rod Laver, Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Michael Chang, Stan Smith, and Andy Roddick.
The evening’s highlight was the now-traditional on-stage player introductions, where teammates share inside jokes and lighthearted roasts. Team Europe captain Yannick Noah began by reading a poem he wrote for his vice-captain, Tim Henman, celebrating both the Brit’s career and his current ownership of a pub.
The friendly jabs continued as Holger Rune teased Alex Zverev for being “late to his hairdresser for the last many years.” Zverev, keeping with the hair theme, noted that Carlos Alcaraz has had “more haircuts than losses this season,” a point Alcaraz conceded. The European team’s banter also saw Jakub Mensik praise Casper Ruud as one of the tour’s best-looking players, alluding to the Norwegian expecting his first child.
Team World captain Andre Agassi led his team’s introductions with a playful jab that Alcaraz was “overrated” before delivering a heartfelt tribute to tournament namesake Rod Laver. He also quipped to Federer that the Swiss star “got lucky” in their final 11 matches. The introductions concluded with Alex de Minaur describing American star Taylor Fritz as a runway model, complete with “the poses” and “the looks.”
Beyond the humor, the gala serves to build team unity. Roger Federer, who walked the black carpet alongside current and past champions, noted the event’s importance. “It also gives them a chance to get outside their tennis clothes, locker rooms, hotel rooms and actually go out and be a team in a formal setting,” he said.
Players echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the value of connecting on a personal level. “I am just getting to know the players off the court, which is great,” said Carlos Alcaraz. “It is great to learn a little bit how they work.”
Casper Ruud added that Team Europe has “really gelled as a group,” while Holger Rune observed a shared professionalism among his teammates. However, as the competition nears, the focus is expected to shift. “I think we have to wait for match day,” said Alex de Minaur. “That is when we get a little more in our own ways and have our own routines.”
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