The World Team celebrates winning the 2025 Laver Cup at Chase Center, San Francisco, USA, on the evening of 21/9. Photo: Reuters

Representing six continents and hundreds of countries with countless athletes, the World Team captain faced a challenging task in assembling his team. This was the precise predicament faced by seven-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi in recent weeks.

Agassi is the new captain of the World Team at the Laver Cup, the annual team event co-founded by Roger Federer in 2017. His task seemed straightforward: to build a team of six players from across the globe.

However, various issues arose, including injuries, health concerns, and personal matters affecting potential team members. This led to adjustments, culminating in Alex de Minaur replacing Frances Tiafoe. The final roster under the 55-year-old captain comprised a 50/50 split between American and international players, the best representation the World Team has achieved in Laver Cup history.

Across eight seasons and 48 World Team spots, American players have filled 25, while Canada holds second place with seven. These are two of the six countries that have had representatives on the World Team, alongside Argentina, Australia, South Africa, and now Brazil, thanks to rising star Joao Fonseca. The 19-year-old was one of Agassi's three captain's picks, with the remaining three members selected based on their ATP rankings after Roland Garros.

Alcaraz (right, Team Europe) celebrates a point with Ruud during their doubles match at the 2025 Laver Cup, Chase Center, San Francisco, USA. Photo: Reuters

The Laver Cup aspires to be the tennis equivalent of the Ryder Cup, a prestigious and glamorous event like the biennial golf tournament pitting the USA against Europe. Similar to the Ryder Cup, the Laver Cup selects players based on rankings and captain's picks. This reveals the underlying dynamic: in the battle between Team Europe and the World Team, Americans and Canadians often form the core of the latter.

Unlike the Ryder Cup, where Europe joins the UK to challenge the USA, in the Laver Cup, it's the USA that needs support. Over the past nine years and eight Laver Cups, European players have swept all the Grand Slams. When the Laver Cup player invitations based on rankings were announced in June, Europe dominated the top six spots. Higher rankings translate to higher appearance fees.

Beyond Europe, many other players exist, but the choices are limited by the influence of traditional tennis customs regarding scheduling, economics, and tournament prestige, which govern nearly every aspect of the sport. Federer aimed to elevate the Laver Cup, linking it to his name. His presence guaranteed sold-out events until his retirement in 2022.

Since then, attracting star players to maintain the Laver Cup's appeal has required more effort. While tennis is a global sport and the Laver Cup features a "World Team," the event hasn't fully expanded its audience. Asia, with its numerous tournaments and skilled players like Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, has had little representation, let alone Africa. This raises questions about the focus on North America, South America, Australia, and a few other regions.

De Minaur celebrates a point during the second day of the 2025 Laver Cup at Chase Center, San Francisco, USA, on the evening of 20/9. Photo: Reuters

Not every player is willing or able to participate. World number eight De Minaur initially declined his June invitation, planning to return to Australia for the Davis Cup after the US Open. Playing in the Laver Cup would require another trip to the USA, followed by a return to Asia for the end-of-season hard court swing to qualify for the ATP Finals – a grueling schedule.

"My top priority is keeping my body healthy," De Minaur stated before the Laver Cup, revealing that organizers assured him of limited playing time. "When they told me I wouldn’t be overworked, I felt confident I could play."

De Minaur ultimately became the highest scorer for the World Team this year with seven points, winning all three of his matches: two singles and one doubles. This contributed to the World Team's 15-9 victory, their third Laver Cup title, on 22/9.

"There aren’t any intense practice sessions. The Laver Cup is a team event with a unique scoring system," World Team vice-captain Patrick Rafter explained. "I think this tournament helps players regain focus and enjoy different experiences within the event, so that when it's time to compete, they can explode and put on a show for the audience."

The World Team may not always boast the most elite players, but at the Laver Cup, they consistently receive global support.

Vy Anh