Novak Djokovic shows love to fans ahead of Laver Cup 2018 FREE for news on the biggest players and tournaments SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up forfor news on the biggest players and tournaments When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The tournament, officially an exhibition, runs from Friday to Sunday in Chicago. The series of matches follow the style of the Ryder Cup, with a team from Europe going up against ’The Rest of the World’. Players are selected by a captain, and they play a series of singles and doubles matches against one another. Last year, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal sent shockwaves through the sport as they played a historic doubles match together, the first time that has ever happened. Fans are not going to be treated to the same this year, as Nadal withdrew from selection. Djokovic, however, is playing this year and could well team up with ‘The Fed Express’. “The Laver Cup has a great team spirit, it’s something we’re missing a little bit on the tour," Djokovic said. “So it’s great to see this concept and this format working well. Federer and Djokovic take on 'The Rest of the World' together Djokovic explained he likes the team aspect of the Laver Cup, and that was why he signed up “I wanted to be a part of it and have a great experience.” The Laver Cup officially launches on Friday 21 September, with all matches being played at the United Center, Chicago. Federer, playing in his second cup, also highlighted the importance of the team aspect, as he praised the competition. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal teamed up for doubles for the first time ever last year<doc-sep>The second instalment of the Laver Cup comes at just the right time for 14-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic who is back in top form after winning the US Open. Djokovic is making his debut in this week’s three-day team event which has been dubbed the Ryder Cup of tennis although it lacks the tradition of golf’s premier event. “I would like to play with (Djokovic),” said event founder and Team Europe star Roger Federer. “I hope he feels the same way.” The exhibition event will take place on US soil for the first time this week when 12 of the world’s top players square off against each other in a three-day team event in Chicago. The tournament begins Friday and pits a team of six of the best ATP Tour players from Europe against a six players from the rest of the world. Bjorn Borg’s favoured Team Europe will try to defend their crown against Team World which will be captained by the legendary John McEnroe. Federer, Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, David Goffin and Kyle Edmund will play for Team Europe. “We’re here to defend our title,” Borg said, “And we’re going to keep the cup in Europe.” Jack Sock, Nick Kyrgios, John Isner, Frances Tiafoe, Kevin Anderson and Diego Schwartzman are representing Team World. McEnroe sees the partisan crowd as a key to Team World’s success. “I’m very much looking forward to coaching this team,” said McEnroe. “We’re excited about getting the home-court advantage, hopefully, in Chicago, which is a great sports town. I think we’re looking forward to showcasing our talents this weekend. “We have four of the six core guys from last year. We’re hopeful that the crowd is as involved or more than they were last year.” The inaugural tournament took place in Prague in September which Team Europe won 15-9. The format calls for shorter matches. If the players split sets, they go straight to a 10-point tiebreaker. The event marks a bit of a homecoming for the South African-born Anderson as the world No.9 spent two years at the University of Illinois. “My wife’s family is from just 20 minutes north of here,” said Anderson. Tiafoe was a late addition to Team World after Juan Martin del Potro pulled out following his stellar run to the final of the US Open. The event is named in honour of tennis legend Rod Laver, who won a record 200 singles titles, 11 Grand Slams and five Davis Cups for Australia.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up forfor news on the biggest players and tournaments Federer is enduring a difficult run of form which has seen him fail to defend his Wimbledon crown before crashing out of the US Open in the fourth round. In between both of those Grand Slam events, the world No 2 also lost the Cincinnati Masters final to Djokovic. But the pair will join Alexander Zverev, David Goffin, Grigor Dimitrov and Kyle Edmund in trying to help Team Europe defend their Laver Cup title this weekend. And Federer is hoping to play alongside Djokovic in the doubles event - although he is just grateful to not have to come up against the in-form Serbian.<doc-sep>Well, the unfortunate part is that I would love to play more, but I can’t. Number one, because of (having four) children. Number two, because of my body. So, the schedule needs to work for my mind, for everything. And that’s the hard part. I have to, unfortunately, play fewer tournaments, and when you play less, you become more vulnerable. So, this is where I really have to become very confident and trust myself that even with little play in matches, I can still deliver in the matches. It might not always be pretty, but I can get it done. And that’s where practice then becomes super important, that I do incredible work in the quality of my practices. Not so much quantity, but it’s a lot to do with quality. And if I get that balance right, I can still play for maybe many more years to come. But if I do it wrong, I might get injured or start losing a lot, and it’s like a downward spiral. ...<doc-sep>
Kevin Anderson has previewed the Laver Cup Team World have three American’s in their six-man squad - John Isner, Jack Sock and late call-up Frances Tiafoe - which should draw the backing of their fellow countrymen. But Federer and Djokovic have also won over the heart of millions of supporters in the US for their decade-long dominance in the sport. Team World would expect to have the majority of the fanbase from the Chicago crowd when the three-day tournament gets underway on Friday. However, Anderson is unsure if that will be the case. “It will be interesting because being here in Chicago as part of Team World, we have got a lot of guys from the States,” Anderson said. ”Hopefully we will get a lot of support. “But the guys we are playing against the likes of Roger and Novak, I’m sure they are going to have support too. “Overall I think the atmosphere is going to be terrific.” Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev took part in the first practice session yesterday Team Europe beat Team World in the deciding match on the final day during the inaugural event last year. And Anderson, who is making his debut in the competition, is hoping to level the scores this time around. “It is going to be exciting. Most of all being in Chicago, this is definitely a second home for me,” he added. “Looking at the event last year in Prague, I think the players really love it. Novak Djokovic will feature for the first time since his US Open win