NothingButNet
Semi-Pro
A week has passed. Rajah Federer’s homage to the living legend ATG - one of the few living players to have a Grand Slam court named in his honor - was an unparalleled and, admittedly, unexpected triumph.
In its confetti-strewn and stale Moet afterglow, spectators and the sport’s commentators alike were left almost unsure of how exactly they should react to what they had witnessed. WTF was that? In fact, could it upstage the WTF itself (which already just manages to straddle the grey zone in-between a high-level exho and a sanctioned ATP event)
Here are 20-ish reasons the Laver Cup defo wasn’t some stinkin' exho:
It's an inaugural cup event – no ATP points does not in itself mean that it’s meaningless. Time alone and its budding history will be the judge of that. The ATP itself had similar beginnings. The Tour as we know it might one day come to be known as the Laver Circuit
With two ATGs involved and the resources their agents and management companies can potentially harnesss…the ATP should be very worries, as it only takes player support to create a rival association. It stands for innovation at a time the sport needs it. Pretty sure the ATP will accelerate any plans they had to test new things out now.
Where the GOATs lead, the rest of the field will follow…
In its confetti-strewn and stale Moet afterglow, spectators and the sport’s commentators alike were left almost unsure of how exactly they should react to what they had witnessed. WTF was that? In fact, could it upstage the WTF itself (which already just manages to straddle the grey zone in-between a high-level exho and a sanctioned ATP event)
Here are 20-ish reasons the Laver Cup defo wasn’t some stinkin' exho:
- Only person with a mic was the umpire
- Appearance fees were in force (as on the regular Tour) but there was substantial prize money for the winners in addition. Not a joke at all.
- Rolex was all over the advertising hoardings but absent from Fred’s wrist
- There was an inaugural trophy, set to be engraved for posterity
- Technically, Prague was meant to create a ‘home team’ atmosphere (and distinct advantage) for the hosts, Team Europe
- Rivalry and spirit of competition was real – teams stayed at separate hotels
- Kyrgios was dialled-in
- It is an annual event with no end-date planned
- The quality of the tennis was the only ‘entertainment’ on offer
- Team8 is a commercial enterprise and Tennis Australia and the USTA have invested in its future
- Ballboys did not play any points
- Kyrgios did not tank
- Proceeds from the 3-day sellout crowds didn’t go to a charity
- Players were selected based on commercially-driven criteria (ranking and popularity)
- Kyrgios cried
- Immediately compared to golf’s Ryder Cup
- Immediately seen as a potential replacement to ailing Davis Cup
- Professional linespeople, ballkids, umpires and tournament referee and director
- Prize money was based on performance
- Have instituted a unique and solid player selection and scoring system
- Players signed up for the $ame reason$ they enter regular ATP/ITF-sanctioned tournaments, not for some cause or foundation
- Rafa woke up early to practice (“I don’t practise before an exhibition match normally, no?”
It's an inaugural cup event – no ATP points does not in itself mean that it’s meaningless. Time alone and its budding history will be the judge of that. The ATP itself had similar beginnings. The Tour as we know it might one day come to be known as the Laver Circuit
With two ATGs involved and the resources their agents and management companies can potentially harnesss…the ATP should be very worries, as it only takes player support to create a rival association. It stands for innovation at a time the sport needs it. Pretty sure the ATP will accelerate any plans they had to test new things out now.
Where the GOATs lead, the rest of the field will follow…
