Laver Cup is back for its eighth year of international competition at the Chase Arena in San Francisco, and Team World faces an uphill task if it hopes to score its third victory—and its first under new team captain Andre Agassi.
Led by Yannick Noah, Team Europe has fielded a strong team led by two of the world’s Top 3 players, including a Carlos Alcaraz fresh off a second US Open title. Team World suffered three pre-competition losses due to withdrawals from Americans Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe, but boast a Top 10 duo in Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur along with young talent from the likes of Alex Michelsen and Joao Fonseca.
Before a weekend of intriguing competition unfolds, the Tennis Channel and Tennis.com teams made their picks for which team has the best chance of lifting the Laver Cup trophy:
BRAD GILBERT
Tennis Channel Analyst, former coach of Coco Gauff
Obviously, on paper, Team Europe is a big favorite. But the first day is the most unique day because both captains probably want to play the guys that they’re not sure about. Everyone has to play, so you set it up more to where you hold the guys you’re more confident in playing the two- and three-point matches. I do think it’s crucial for Team World to be able to keep it close the first two days. If they get significantly behind, they will have a big trouble for Sunday.
PRAKASH AMRITRAJ
Tennis Channel Analyst
I think Team Europe has the edge. They seem a little deeper and in a team competition structured like this, depth is a huge factor.
JON WERTHEIM
Tennis Channel Analyst and 60 Minutes Correspondent
It’s hard not to go with Team Europe when they have the Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 1 player in the world.
STEPHANIE LIVAUDAIS
Editor and reporter for TENNIS.com
It’s indeed hard to bet against a stacked Team Europe, which arrives in San Francisco with five Top 20 players—including newly crowned US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, world No. 1, and Laver Cup stalwart Alexander Zverev, No. 3. Team World, on the other hand, has been hit with a number of high-profile withdrawals, losing Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. It’s now leaning on No. 5 Taylor Fritz and No. 8 Alex de Minaur—with debutant Joao Fonseca waiting in the wings as the ultimate wild card.
STEVE WEISSMAN
Tennis Channel Analyst
Team World will reclaim the Laver Cup on home soil. Like the team that usually occupies the Chase Center, this group of Warriors has the balance and firepower to overcome Team Europe. Captain Andre Agassi is a tennis savant that will do more than just cheer from the sideline and newcomers Joao Fonseca and Alex Michelsen will play key roles in victory. Warriors guard Steph Curry has the NBA record for 3-pointers, and on Sunday, it’ll be Team World making a splash with 3-point wins in San Francisco!
PETE BODO
TENNIS.com writer and author of multiple books on the sport
Team World faces another stiff challenge (par for the course) and while the scoring system ensures that a team can make a run late in the competition and pull out a win, Team Europe just has too many big guns, plus a secret weapon in captain Yannick Noah, who is a great motivator and the kind of personality that will keep his squad loose and inspired.
STEVE TIGNOR
TENNIS.com writer and author of High Strung: Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, and the Untold Story of Tennis’s Fiercest Rivalry
Team Europe, as usual, has the higher-ranked team; their No. 6, Flavio Cobolli, is ranked seven spots higher than World’s No. 4, Alex Michelsen. That doesn’t always lead to victory; World has won two of the last three Cups. But right now they don’t look like they have an answer for Europe’s No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz.
JOEL DRUCKER
TENNIS.com writer and author of multiple books on the sport
Team Europe’s got the goods to take this title for the sixth time in Laver Cup’s eight years. While Team World’s top players, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur, are likely at least somewhat worn out from an arduous mix of US Open and Davis Cup efforts, such Team Europe mainstays as Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Holger Rune exited the US Open early and should be quite fresh and eager to compete.