Some of the best tennis players in the world are laying it all on the line in London this weekend — teaming up for a shot at the coveted 2022 Laver Cup, not to mention $250,000 in prize money.
It’s the fifth edition of the Laver Cup, and it’s only fitting that we bid a final farewell to the man who helped make the tournament possible.
While many tennis fans will tune in simply to watch Team World take on Team Europe shot for tantalizing shot, much of the attention will undoubtedly be fixated on Roger Federer — the man, the myth, a true GOAT of men’s tennis. Having helped launch the Laver Cup in 2017, the 41-year-old Federer is on his way toward retirement — announcing recently that this year’s Laver Cup would be the final competition of his illustrious career.
The tourney will mark a storybook ending for the Swiss tennis legend regardless of the outcome. But whether or not King Roger will lead Team Europe to a fifth consecutive Laver Cup remains to be seen.
Team World is formidable, and ready to shock the… well, the world.
There’s a lot of tennis to be played at London’s O2 Arena this weekend. Let’s have a look at what’s on the line for some of tennis’ top men’s players competing in the 2022 Laver Cup.
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What Winning the Laver Cup Looks Like
Picture a rush of red or blue storming the court to celebrate victory, hoisting the cup for all the tennis world’s eyes to see.
That’s what winning the Laver Cup looks like.
Although to date all we’ve seen is blue-clad lads from Team Europe claiming victory, there’s a chance things may be different this year.
And while stepping into the winner’s circle will mean bragging rights for whichever team stands tall at the end of the tourney, there’s also a notable Davis Cup prize purse up for grabs.
According to multiple reports, this year’s winning team earns $1.5 million — meaning each player walks away with $250,000 in Laver Cup prize money, not to mention guaranteed participation fees based on the players’ ATP rankings.
The losing team splits $750,000 — equating to $125,000 per player. All told, that’s a total 2022 Laver Cup purse of $2.25 million.
But don’t forget about the prestigious Cup itself.
The trophy, made by elite sporting trophy-making company Thomas Lyte, is “meticulously hand-crafted” from sterling silver and molten metal from Laver’s own New England Merchant Bank Trophy from the US Pro Tennis Championships in 1967. The iconic trophy also subtly resembles a rocket, in honor of Laver’s nickname — “The Rocket.”
2022 Laver Cup Teams & Players
Team World has never won the Laver Cup.
Four years running and Team Europe has simply dominated their worldly counterparts.
The format of the tournament involves six top European players taking on six of their counterparts from the rest of the World, with an alternate for each team. Three of the six players qualify based on their ATP singles ranking at the French Open, while the other three are “captain’s picks”, announced by the start of the US Open. Here’s a look at the 2022 Laver Cup teams:
TEAM WORLD
- Felix Auger-Alisassime
- Taylor Fritz
- Diego Schwartzman
- Alex de Minaur
- Frances Tiafoe
- Jack Sock
- Tommy Paul (alternate)
TEAM EUROPE
- Novak Djokovic
- Rafael Nadal
- Stefanos Tsitsipas
- Casper Ruud
- Roger Federer
- Andy Murray
- Matteo Berrettini (alternate)
The event consists of five sessions (singles and doubles) played over three days. Each match win on the first day is worth one point, two points on day two, and three points on day three. The first team to 13 points will win.
Last year, Team Europe crushed Team World 13-1 to claim victory. The 2020 tournament was canceled due to COVID-19, but the 2019 event saw a much closer competition with Team Europe once again winning 13-11.
Much of Laver Cup dominance is thanks to the superstar lineup the European squad has posted over the years — names like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Federer, the top three all-time earner’s in all of men’s tennis history.
But this year’s Team World has a little star power of its own, welcoming breakout US Open star Frances Tiafoe and several talented up-and-comers.
While some may say it’s a foregone conclusion for Team Europe to earn another W, we’ll have to wait and see how it all shakes down in London. One thing is for certain, anyone who watches this weekend will get a chance to witness history — a farewell to Federer and a potential upset on the world stage.
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