The black carpet of the Laver Cup opening party led the main champions and current Laver Cup players (and sometimes the same and the same spotlight, which is not their tennis, but about them.
The annual event occurs the night before Laver Cup competition begins and draws roughly 800 people to attend a black-tie event that this year welcomed the likes of Rod Laver, Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Michael Chang, Stan Smith and Andy Roddick—that's 40 major titles among those players alone, not even counting the six current Laver Cup Team Europe player Carlos Alcaraz adds to the mix—to San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
After walking on the black carpet, the media and photographers lined up black velvet ropes and asked questions, guests entered the party, with team captains and players having their own moments on the stage. In the case that becomes an annual tradition, each player introduces another player, sometimes causing laughter and revealing it in the joke.
Evening host Melissa Stark welcomed the guests and invited European captain Yannick Noah to start the introduction. He did so, reading a poem about his “gentleman” vice captain Tim Henman, which would have a career in the British legend and his own at a bar in his hometown of Oxfordshire.
Tim Henman (vice captain) and Yannick Noah (captain) of Europe arrived at the opening party.
Henman made a huge attack on Tomas Machac's shorts, who then introduced Flavio Cobolli, saying he still dreamed of defeating him. Jakub Mensik called Casper Ruud one of the prettiest players on the tour and mentioned that the “Great Vikings from Norway” might have to miss the Wimbledons’ tendency toward something more important, while suggesting that Ruud and his fiancé are now looking forward to their first child.
Holger Rune introduced Alex Zverev because he was already late, adding that his hairdresser was late. Zverev fits into the hair theme, and he says his hairstyle is far more than the loss this season, so he introduces Alcaraz.
World captain Andre Agassi led the introduction of his joking Alcaraz and then gave a heartfelt ode to the championship-titled Rod Laver. He also quipped Federer that they played the last 11 times as Swiss players were “lucky”. Jenson Brooksby introduces Reilly Opelka, the game's largest robot, and Opelka says Brazil's 19-year-old Joao Fonseca makes the 20-year-old feel old.
Fonseca calls Alex Michelsen the funniest person on the team, and Michelsen said he can't tell Francisco Cerundolo is an Argentinian because he doesn't keep shouting “vamos”. Cerundolo said he thanked Alex de Minaur for speaking to him fluently in his local Spanish. To wrap it up, De Minaur introduces the American Star Taylor Fritz as a runway model.
“He has posture, he has appearance,” he said. The evening included Tony Godsick, the welcome from the president of the Laver Cup, Laver who paid tribute to McEnroe and musical performances in a meal with the Laver Cup Trophy and a photo opportunity.
Walking on the black carpet
With past champions and current players mixed together on the black carpet, Federer said it was an opportunity to celebrate the players and have a great time. “I hope the players love to dress up and they also like to take pictures of themselves, especially in a group environment,” he said.
“There will be a play ban, which also gives them the opportunity to step out of tennis clothes, locker rooms, hotel rooms and actually go out to be a team of formal environments. Honestly, this could be a good thing.” – Roger Federer
Roger Federer – Shake, no stirring.
Players who came in as team pose on the black carpet to take pictures and then take official black tie portraits. Many say they like to know each other all week. Alkaraz said: “I just met players off the court, which is great. I know how they prepare for the game, how they exercise off the court. It's great to learn a little bit
The way they work. ”
Zverev said he was trying to get a positive attitude from his teammates, and Rud said they were really clumsy. “We help each other, we joke with each other, it's a really fun team,” he said. “No weird routines or superstitions get in the way of you. “We're normal, a lot of us,” Rune said. “We're not that different. Our daily work is professional, and I don't see any superstitious people.” Of course, as De Minaur said, this may still change. “I think we have to wait for game day, that is, we get more ways and have our own routines in our own way. So far, we're all normal in that sense.”