Laver Cup is an international men’s team tennis competition, founded in 2017 to honor tennis legend Rod Laver. It is an annual event where the best players from Team Europe and Team World compete in a unique team format. Also known as the “Ryder Cup of Tennis,” the Laver Cup brings together the top-rated international players in a team-based format.
- Qualification
- Teams
- Format
- Prize Money and Points
- When and Where is the 2025 Laver Cup hosted?
- History of the Laver Cup
- Laver Cup vs Davis Cup?
- Read More:
- FAQ
Qualification
The player qualification in Laver Cup works as follows:
Player Qualification
- The three highest-ranked players from both Team Europe and Team World, determined by their ATP singles ranking on the Monday after Roland-Garros, earn an automatic invitation to compete in the Laver Cup.
- If a top-three-ranked player declines the invitation, the spot is offered to the next highest-ranked player until each team secures three confirmed players.
Captain’s Pick
- Each team has three Captain’s Picks, which can be announced anytime before the start of the US Open
- If a player is named before Roland Garros, the team captain commits to using a Captain’s Pick on them if they do not qualify through ranking.
- Teams can have two backup players who can replace a team member if needed. These backup players can’t participate unless called upon to step in due to injury, withdrawal, or other circumstances affecting the main players.
Teams
There are two teams in the Laver Cup; Team Europe And Team World. Each of these teams consists of 6 (+2 backup players) players as follows:
- 3 players who qualify automatically based on their ATP singles ranking after Roland Garros.
- 3 players who are selected as Captain’s Picks, which can be announced anytime before the US Open.
- In addition to these players, a team can have 2 backup players in case of injuries or such.
Team Captains
Each team has a team captain who is responsible for selecting the lineup and strategies during the tournament. The team captain, similar to the Davis Cup, does not participate as a player in the tournament.
The Team Captain is usually a former tennis legend and for the 2025 Laver Cup Yannick Noah is the Captain of Team Europe and Andre Agassi is the Captain of Team World. Each team also has a vice-captain. Patrick Rafter will serve as the vice-captain for Team World, while Yannick Noah will choose his vice-captain before the competition begins.
Format
The Laver Cup is played over three days (Friday to Sunday). Each day features two sessions with a total of four matches per day. Teams earn points for each match win, with the value of each match increasing as the tournament progresses:
- Day 1 (Friday): 1 point per win
- Day 2 (Saturday): 2 points per win
- Day 3(Sunday): 3 points per win
The first team to reach 13 points wins the Laver Cup. If the score is tied at 12-12, a deciding doubles match determines the winner.
Match Format and Rules
Both singles and doubles matches are played in a best-of-three-sets format with ad scoring. If the first two sets are split, the third set is played as a 10-point match tiebreaker instead of a full set.
Rules
- Each of the team players has to play at least one match during the first two days
- Players can only play up to two singles matches during the tournament
- At least four of the six players must participate in doubles. No doubles combination can be used again, except in the case of the Decider on Day 3 if the points are tied at 12-12.
- If the Decider match is required, it is played as a regular set with ad scoring and a tiebreak.
- If only one match is needed on Sunday, an exhibition match is played after the trophy ceremony.
Team announcements
- Friday’s lineup is announced on Thursday afternoon.
- Saturday’s lineup is announced one hour after play ends on Friday night.
- Sunday’s lineup is announced one hour after play ends on Saturday night.
- Match-ups are decided when the captains exchange lineup cards.
Court Type
The tournament is always held on a single competition hard court, either in a retractable roof stadium or an indoor arena.
Prize Money and Points
The prize money of the 2025 Laver Cup is distributed as follows:
- Each member of the winning team received $250,000.
- Each player receives an appearance fee based on their ATP Singles ranking as of the Monday following Roland-Garros.
Even though the Laver Cup is played as an ATP Event it does not award ATP points for the players.
When and Where is the 2025 Laver Cup hosted?
The 2025 Laver Cup is scheduled to take place from September 19 to 21 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. This will be the first time the event is held on the U.S. West Coast.
History of the Laver Cup
The Laver Cup was created by Roger Federer’s management company, TEAM8, in collaboration with Tennis Australia and the USTA. The tournament is named after Rod Laver, one of the world’s first tennis professionals.
During the early years of the Laver Cup, Team Europe dominated the tournament. However, Team World has won the two previous Laver Cups. The score is as follows:
- Team Europe Wins: 5
- Team World Wins: 2
Laver Cup vs Davis Cup?
Format:
- Laver Cup: Men’s competition, with two regional teams competing in singles and doubles matches
- Davis Cup: Men’s competition, with national teams competing in singles and doubles matches.
Team Composition:
- Laver Cup: Teams consist of 6 male players.
- Davis Cup: Teams comprised of 4-6 male players.
Ranking Points:
- Laver Cup: Players do not earn ATP ranking points
- Davis Cup: Players do not earn ATP ranking points
Prize Money:
- Laver Cup: Offers prize money distributed only to the winning team’s members.
- Davis Cup: Provides prize money for players, distributed based on team results.
Match Structure:
- Laver Cup Matches are played in a best-of-three format.
- Davis Cup: Historically included best-of-five-set matches until switching to best-of-three in recent years.
History:
- Laver Cup: Established in 2017 by Roger Federer’s management company, TEAM8, in collaboration with Tennis Australia and the USTA.
- Davis Cup: Founded in 1900, it is the oldest international team competition in tennis.
Read More:
FAQ
Is the Laver Cup a serious tournament?
— The Laver Cup is an serious tournament, even though some of the matches are played in an exhibition-style format.
