The Laver Cup: Good or bad for tennis?

(Getty/Clive Brunskill)

Another Laver Cup has come and gone. The eighth edition in San Francisco wrapped up with some wonderful tennis, but always plenty of discussion within tennis fraternities.

The same perennial questions are asked of the event every year: Does the Laver Cup deserve its spot in an already crammed tennis calendar? Is it a legitimate competition or just a high-profile exhibition? And ultimately, does any of this annual discussion even matter if the tennis is top-notch, and fans are buying tickets?

By entering the code TFS2025, you will receive 15% off the RRP on all non-sale items when you shop online at www.racquetworld.com.au

Firstly, what might distinguish a true tournament from an exhibition? Typically, exhibitions feature players competing with little at stake—no ATP or WTA ranking points, no official prize money on the line. Qualification isn't tied to a rigorous ranking system, and the scoring often deviates from standard formats. By these benchmarks, the Laver Cup ticks a lot of those boxes. In fact, it ticks all of them.

Player selection for the event follows a hybrid model that's more invitational than meritocratic. The three highest-ranked players from each region—Europe and the rest of the World—based on their ATP singles ranking as of the Monday following Roland-Garros, get an automatic invite. If one bows out, the offer cascades down to the next eligible high-ranker until three spots are filled per team.

Then come the three captain's picks per side, which can be announced any time before the US Open kicks off. If a player is named before Roland-Garros, that counts as a captain's pick should they not qualify via ranking. Each team also has up to two alternates. It's a system that obviously prioritises star power and possibly a captain's favourite player, which settles neatly within exhibition territory.

This setup has historically favoured Team Europe, who have consistently fielded lineups with at least two—and often four—top 10 players. Team World, by contrast, has frequently assembled squads where its fifth and sixth players hover at the lower end of the top 100, or even dip outside it. The imbalance raises some eyebrows, and some questions: Is this a nice, fun, scripted showcase?

Not everyone sees it that way, though. The First Serve's Brett Phillips wasn't always sold on the Laver Cup, but attending in person this year shifted his view.

"Being here in person has given me a different perspective," he admitted, while also agreeing with its global reach. "I love the fact that the Laver Cup goes to different parts of the globe that don't hold ATP events."

The atmosphere overwhelmingly won him over: "The crowd was magnificent, I love the format," he said.

One of the obvious concerns with exhibition tennis is the often-perceived lack of intensity from participants. Phillips emphasised that it wasn't the case with the Laver Cup.

"If you thought these guys weren't fair dinkum…they were fair dinkum. Because you've got more than just yourself that you're playing for, you've got the responsibility of teammates sitting on the sideline, so if you feel like waving the white flag… there's a group of guys eyeballing you courtside saying, 'no, no, no….you put it on the line for us'," he explained.

Phillips clearly thinks there's longevity in the event, adding, "I think this event is here to stay. It has huge financial investment. If you went to it live, I think you would really embrace the event. Because Davis Cup is one thing, and that's country v country. This is João Fonseca sitting next to Alex de Minaur. You're just watching those guys chat on the bench, and they're practicing together. These guys are rivals who are so used to doing everything individually, and they come together to pick each other's brains for a week."

Wrapping up, he confessed, "I’ve actually changed my tune on it, having covered it live."

The event's metrics from 2025 emphasise its growing footprint: over 81,500 fans packed the stands, marking the largest attendance in Laver Cup history. It was broadcast to 230 territories, attracting over 124 million social media impressions. It drew 148 accredited media, selected 24 ball kids from 400 applicants, and involved over 1,000 people in onsite production. Numbers like these suggest it's capturing attention in a way few tennis events do outside the Slams.

Roger Federer, a major investor since day one, naturally champions it.

"When you're sitting on the bench, and next to you is a legendary player, and Rod Laver is in the building…legends are in the building. They want to see the best tennis played. I think you come and perform. Plus, you have the whole team environment, so you have to show up for them as well. I think that whole dynamic creates bringing out the best, and actually giving really energetic vibes," he said.

On Andy Roddick's Served podcast, Federer tried to garner the fan vote.

"I always feel, if you buy a hefty ticket, and you come and watch the greatest players on earth play tennis, you want to see them play tennis, and not be a clown on the court," he said. "There is enough smiling, there is giggling, having great times. But when the ball is being hit, it needs to be hit with purpose and for a reason. And I also think to honour the great man, Rod Laver, and the past generation."

Australia's Pat Rafter, also on Served, echoed the sentiment about player buy-in.

"What was totally unexpected for me was just a total and utter engagement of these players and how much this is so important to them," he shared. "I was trying to buy into the event sometimes, too. How does this sit in the calendar? How does it sit with these guys playing 52 weeks a year, travelling around the world, thinking to come to the Laver Cup….what does it mean to them?

"It means a lot. They have really invested. So every time these guys go on to the court, they're playing for their team, and they really feel it. The passion's there."

Even younger voices like Holger Rune rave about it. He told Punto de Break, "I've spoken to a lot of the players, and they say [the Laver Cup is] one of the most fun tournaments, a great event. For many, it's their favourite event, even more than the Grand Slams."

That comment sounds lovely, but when you actually consider what he's saying, it's easy to see why players love it—no overwhelming pressure, solid appearance fees, and a spotlight that amplifies their brands. That sounds exactly like what well-run exhibition events should have for their players.

For all the hype, there's a sense that everyone involved is working overtime to sell the Laver Cup as something profound. The tennis is undeniably of a high quality, and players seem to relish the camaraderie, but the lack of real stakes still hovers over the event.

No points lost, no titles forfeited. No doubt Laver Cup losses sting in the moment, perhaps, but do they linger? Take Team Europe's players this year: Are any of them losing sleep or shedding tears over failing to clinch it on the final day? Probably not.

Contrast that with Lorenzo Musetti, who was nearly inconsolable after dropping the final of a modest 250 event in Chengdu just days later. That's the gulf between exhibition and the pressure of genuine competition.

Tennis is trying to emulate golf's Ryder Cup. But if anyone watched the Ryder Cup recently played, you would see exactly how much that event means to golf and golfers. The players were literally in tears at the end. Whether another decade or two of the Laver Cup will bring that kind of passion and emotion, only time will tell.

Hear from our Aussies on the Road in 2025 as they navigate winning on tour. Fresh off the court, taking you inside their mind.

The calendar clash is another sore point. While the Laver Cup dominated headlines, the Billie Jean King Cup Final between Italy and the USA barely registered (Italy won), and the WTA 500 in Seoul—where Iga Świątek defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in a nearly three-hour epic—flew completely under the radar.

Credit to the Laver Cup's organisers and backers for engineering a media frenzy, but it begs the question: Where was the coverage for those established events?

Then there's the scoring quirk. Matches tied at one set apiece go to a match tie-break, yet head-to-head results from the Laver Cup inexplicably count on the ATP website. Meanwhile, clashes in a Challenger 175 final or Grand Slam qualifying—where careers potentially hang in the balance—don't get that recognition. It's an inconsistency that doesn't make a lot of sense.

Gaël Monfils captured the casual vibe in 2023 when microphones picked up his frustration during a spat with Felix Auger-Aliassime over time violations.

"They call me and say…'You can be free'. For me, I'm here to have fun," he said.

He walked it back amid backlash, but the slip revealed a mindset that doesn't exactly scream "high-stakes showdown". It weakens the argument that the Laver Cup is on par with the tour's big events.

So, is the Laver Cup a glorified exhibition? Yeah, it is.

But maybe that's beside the point. The real litmus test is whether it's good for tennis. Judging by the media buzz, the online debates it ignites, and the calibre of play it delivers, the answer feels like a resounding yes.

In a sport that's often solitary and gruelling, this team environment injects energy, draws crowds, and adds a different element to the TV viewer, which can't be a bad thing.

Whether it evolves into something more—or stays as a flashy sideshow—might just depend on how the calendar pans out in the years ahead. For now, love it or loathe it…it's carving out its niche very nicely.

ASTE (Australian Synthetic Turf Enterprises) is Melbourne’s tennis court

construction specialists.

One game and you will know the difference.

Play on a court you’re proud of, play on an ASTE court.

Head to A-S-T-E.com.au to discover more.