After all the Grand Slams on the tennis calendar have wrapped up, the focus shifts to the ATP tour events for the remainder of the year. While the fan following of these competitions is not remotely as much as the grand slams, there is one blockbuster tournament in the world of tennis that draws widespread attention from all corners of the globe― the Laver Cup. Before we delve deep into the 2023 Laver Cup prize money and its other important details though, let us take a closer look at what the Laver Cup is all about as well as its rich history.
Named after former Australian tennis player Rod Laver, who is a pioneering figure in the Open Era and widely regarded as one of the all-time greats, the Laver Cup is an annual tennis tournament contested between two teams, namely Team Europe (consisting of players from European nations) and Team World (comprising of players outside the continent). Roger Federer, the former Swiss tennis player, was inspired to create a tennis tournament based on the Ryder Cup in golf (a biennial golf tournament played between Team United States of America and Team Europe). In 2017, Federer’s management company, TEAM8, Brazilian businessman and former Davis Cup player Jorge Paulo Lemann, and Tennis Australia joined hands to lay the foundation for the Laver Cup.
According to its format, the Laver Cup pits the top six European players against their six counterparts from the rest of the world. Each team has a tennis legend as its captain. Among the six players, three qualify based on their ATP singles rankings as of the Monday following the conclusion of the French Open. The three remaining spots are filled as per the ‘captain’s picks’.
The inaugural edition of the Laver Cup was held in 2017 at the O2 Arena in Prague, where Team Europe emerged victorious as they defeated Team World by a margin of 15-9. An indoor hard court tournament, the Laver Cup became an officially sanctioned ATP Tour event in May 2019. However, there are a few dissimilarities with conventional ATP Tour events. For instance, in the case of a one-set all-tied match, a 10-point ‘match tiebreak’ is played instead of a deciding final set. In addition, the coaching of match participants courtside by the captains and fellow teammates is allowed, unlike other events from the ATP Tour. At the end of the tournament, the team which scores more points over the tournament’s three days wins the Laver Cup.
As the tennis fraternity gears up for Laver Cup 2023, scheduled to commence on September 22, we take a look at the schedule and the venue of the tournament, the players participating in this year’s edition, the prize money on offer and where you possibly watch it.
A quick look at the schedule and venue of the Laver Cup 2023
Now in its sixth edition, the Laver Cup 2023 will begin on September 22 and conclude on September 24. All the matches of the tournament will be played at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada. The tournament will be taking place in Canada for the first time this year.
Which players are participating in the Laver Cup 2023?
Two tennis legends, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, will be seen reprising their roles as the captains of Team Europe and Team World, respectively. In the absence of the hallowed quartet of tennis (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray), the focus will be on Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, Gael Monfils and Hubert Hurkacz from Team Europe.
On the other hand, Taylor Fritz will be the sole player in the Team World side holding a position among the top ten on the ATP singles rankings (Fritz is ranked number eight). He will be joined by Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton, among others.
How much is the Laver Cup 2023 prize money?
The total prize money pool on offer at the Laver Cup 2023 stands at USD 2.25 million. While there will be guaranteed participation fees for each player based on his ATP singles ranking, the members of the winning team will be further rewarded with USD 250,000 each for their performances. However, the performances in the tournament will not count towards the players’ points in the ATP Tour for the year.
Where can you livestream the Laver Cup 2023?
Tennis fans in Malaysia can livestream all the matches of the Laver Cup 2023 on beIN Sports South East Asia, the official broadcaster of the tournament for this region.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– When is the final for Laver Cup 2023?
The Laver Cup 2023 will conclude on Sunday, September 24.
– How many teams are participating in the Laver Cup 2023?
Like every year, two teams, namely Team Europe and Team World, are participating in the Laver Cup 2023.
– Where can I stream Laver Cup 2023?
Tennis fans in Malaysia can livestream all the matches of the Laver Cup 2023 on beIN Sports South East Asia, the official broadcaster of the tournament for this region.
This article first appeared on Augustman Malaysia
(Main and Featured Images Credits: Courtesy Instagram/@Laver Cup)
Uddipta writes about sports and watches besides occasionally venturing into the world of automobiles and technology. He was associated with the Indian Express in the capacity of a sub-editor at their Lifestyle desk. A journalism and mass communication student from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Uddipta devotes most of his leisure time to photography and filmmaking. He has contributed photographs to Vogue Italia and several exhibits, and has directed award-winning short films screened at film festivals in India and abroad.
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