Is the Laver Cup just an exhibition and nothing else? To get an answer, let’s first find out the main purpose behind creating this tournament. And who can give us this answer better than the man who has played a crucial role in developing this unique idea? Roger Federer has often spoken about this tournament with great pride and enthusiasm, and he sees it as more than just a tournament. He loves calling it a celebration of tennis! Although there are people who opine that the Laver Cup is just an exhibition, now American legend Andy Roddick has stepped up to debunk all of those claims.

According to Roger Federer, the main idea behind creating this unique tournament was, “To pay tribute to the past generation, bring in the new generation, and then morphing it all together Ryder Cup style with a concept that would work over the weekend.” Is it a big success? Well, the Laver Cup is now in its seventh edition and still running! Several players have expressed their excitement about being part of this iconic tournament. We’ll hear all of that, but before getting to those reactions, let’s take a look at Roddick’s thoughts on the significance of the Laver Cup.

During a conversation on Tennis Channel, Andy Roddick said, “Well, I can only speak from Davis Cup experience which isn’t what it was once. I think Laver Cup is aiming to take its lunch a little bit and it has successfully done so. I got to be honest, I called a little bit of a bluff early on with you know players buying in and this really mattering. Wasn’t an overrated exhibition and these players care like they actually, really, really matter.” He further added, “I think they’ve done a great job. It’s the first thing that we’ve seen in tennis that started from ‘Let’s make an amazing product for TV and work.’“

Some say that the Laver Cup presents an entertaining, light-hearted, and unique experience that deserves its place in the grueling season schedule. They believe this acts as a breather from competitiveness while still allowing fans to watch some high-quality tennis. It’s definitely nice to see players having fun with their peers on the court and outside of it. Even for some young players, this event acts as the stage to learn from some of the best in the business. Let’s take a look at some of the reactions from the players regarding the significance of Roger Federer’s Laver Cup.

“It’s a serious competition” – Carlos Alcaraz and others share their thoughts on Roger Federer’s Laver Cup

This tournament is the brainchild of Roger Federer and his managers at sports agency Team 8. The Laver Cup aims to carve out a unique niche in the tennis world, and speaking about this unique idea, different players, including some former professionals in this sport, have come up with the same opinions. According to John McEnroe, “A lot of people have come up to me over the years and say, ‘It’s an exhibition,’ or ‘The players don’t take it seriously.’ That could not be farther from the truth. The players take a tremendous amount of pride.“

Stefanos Tsitsipas also reflected the same, “People often tell me that this is an exhibition and that we don’t care, but I tell them: ‘Believe me, we care a lot’. There’s a lot at stake, and we want to win everything.” He believes the Laver Cup is an “honorary tournament” that players have to play in and be proud to have been selected to be part of the team. So, it’s definitely an exhibition, but an exhibition of sheer talent, tension, and tiebreakers! Alexander Zverev says that having the best players on the same team or competing against each other is what makes the Laver Cup so “unique” and highly competitive.

According to Carlos Alcaraz, it’s more like prestige. He said, “I love it and I wanted to be part of it. It’s a serious competition. I think we have to represent Europe, you know, in the best way possible. The prestige that this tournament has, and, being a Laver Cup champion is a huge thing. We are going to laugh a lot, I’m sure about it.” Even American players like Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe shared a similar excitement in being a part of this incredible tournament. Tiafoe believes tournaments like Laver Cup are “really good for the sport.”

So, clearly, players love being a part of this event and seeing this much excitement among the players and most of the fans, Federer has already hinted that they have plans to expand the event’s horizons in the near future. For all the fans who are in Asia and South America, perhaps it’s time to fasten your seatbelts too!