Rod Laver: 'Roger Federer wanted Edberg as Cup captain. Then I called Borg'
In an interview to Blick, Rod Laver revealed an interesting thing about the Laver Cup. "I helped to the trophy as well. They wanted something symbolic, so I gave the US Pro title I won for four consecutive years. And thanks to me there are two captains like John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg. When I suggested McEnroe for the Team World, everyone thought that we would have not gotten him! Because I know him well, I asked and he came. For Team Europe, Roger Federer initially wanted his former coach Stefan Edberg. I suggested Borg - and everyone doubted about it again. He never does it! I said, Give me a mobile phone..."
Edberg rarely visits the tour nowadays. He worked with Federer in 2014 and 2015, and after that, he rejected several offers from top players. The Swede has been busy with his family and business activities and tennis is almost a closed chapter for him, although he tries to keep being connected to it. As a matter of fact, Edberg will go to the Rolex Shanghai Masters in October late this year as the tournament ambassador.
Asked about his own relationship with Switzerland, Laver replied: "Unluckily, it does not go beyond the tournaments I played there. I was in Lausanne, Gstaad... But it also gets connected to Roger Federer. He and his agent Tony Godsick created the Laver Cup. They wanted to use my name for it, and through me, the event reached the world. So far it was a successful history, and players enjoy the event as well. I am looking forward to September in Geneva."
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2CujOpb
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