Last year Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal played a highly anticipated double at the Laver Cup – this year the first pairing is Roger Federer/Novak Djokovic!
The pictures went around the world: Roger Federer and his long-term rival Rafael Nadal on one side of the net – and after the overall victory of one even on the arm of the other. Federer and Nadal in one team – only at the Laver Cup 2017!
This year Federer is working with the next big competitor of his career: Novak Djokovic will be part of the Laver Cup for the first time and Federer will be part of Team Europe.
Federer’s manager Tony Godsick already gave an indication that the two could also play together in doubles: “They never had an excuse to play in the same team,” he told the New York Times. “There was no reason and no platform.” Godsick’s arguments for the premiere: “Roger is the former president of the ATP Players’ Council, Novak the current one. The boys are now spending five days together and I think they will also talk about politics. Novak is busy with a lot of things at the moment, but both are looking forward to this experience. They’re the old boys on the team.”
The draw on Thursday confirmed the manager. The line-up is Frances Tiafoe – Grigor Dimitrov, Jack Sock – Kyle Edmund, Diego Schwartzman – David Goffin… followed by Jack Sock/Kevin Anderson – Roger Federer/Novak Djokovic! A mating that fits? The tennis world knows more during the night from Friday to Saturday!