We are now approaching the end of the 2024 season! The last Grand Slam of the season is over and the fans have their winners. However, there is still some high-quality tennis left to be played. Not just in the individual events, but in team events as well, as the fans are keenly waiting for the Davis Cup and the famous Laver Cup, which was the last tournament Roger Federer played before hanging his racquet in 2022! But the question is: which one is better, the Davis Cup or the Laver Cup? Let’s turn to the former ATP-pro, Jack Sock, to answer this, while we think about our choices!

Many of us would be aware of the basics of both these tournaments. But let’s rewind for the unversed. The Davis Cup is the largest annual team competition in tennis, contested between teams from over 150 countries, culminating in the Davis Cup finals where the 18 teams play in a round-robin format, to advance to the quarterfinals.

However, the Laver Cup seems to be in the infant stage when compared with the Davis Cup, as it had its inaugural edition only in 2017 with an exciting format. In the Laver Cup, the teams are not divided on the basis of countries, rather it’s Team Europe vs Team World. The organizers invite the top players from ATP to compete against each other. And for Sock, it’s the Laver Cup that has captured his heart!

During the Nothing Major podcast, on 14th September, taking up a fan question, the host asked, “Based on the current status of the Davis Cup and Laver Cup. Which one’s better, Laver Cup or Davis Cup?” Sock responded by declaring his love for the nation, as he said, “I always loved wearing red, white, and blue when we could for Davis Cup, Olympics, whatever it was.” However, he couldn’t hide his inclination towards the Laver Cup, as he remarked, “Laver Cup is just incredible.”

The American star further narrated his experience of the inaugural edition of the Laver Cup back in 2017. Sock, now a pickleball player, participated with John Isner and others as part of Team World. Though initially, there were doubts as nobody knew what to expect from the new tournament, the outcome pleasantly surprised everyone. Sock further added, “I think we were all blown away when we got there, and the player experience, and the hospitality they provide, and the stadiums, the crowds, the players in it, it was just incredible every year. So I’m gonna have to go to the Laver Cup for sure.”

Moreover, Laver Cup is the only tournament that brought the Big 3 on the same side of the court, as they competed together rather than against each other, for a change. And more importantly, it is the last tournament that the Swiss legend Roger Federer played to mark an end to his professional tennis career. The fans, however, would be missing a similar treat this year, after Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal from the Laver Cup!

Laver Cup Updates: Rafael Nadal withdraws as compatriot, Carlos Alcaraz leads the challenge for Team Europe

This year, Team Europe is missing both, Nadal and Novak Djokovic, as youngsters, Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, and Daniil Medvedev take on the Team World. However, it won’t be a cakewalk for Team Europe, as Team World also features some of the tennis greats. Fans are certainly missing Nadal’s presence, as he withdrew from the tournament abruptly, after announcing his participation earlier.

Explaining his withdrawal to the fans, Nadal said, “Right now I’m not in a position to win anything. I said that I would play until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and then we would see, and I am in that time of rest. Mentally, I am well. Zero problems physically too. I’m at home enjoying other things and training what I can daily. These are the decisions that are being made, and it was a possibility. I haven’t competed for a while. There will be another player who would play better.”

The Spaniard may not be wrong in his assessment, but given that the 22-time Grand Slam champion is looking at the sunset of his career, fans would certainly love every moment of Nadal on the court. Do you think the Spaniard will continue playing the next season? Let us know in the comments.