Ben Shelton reveals the ‘crazy’ difference between the atmosphere of the Laver Cup and the rest of the ATP tour

The Laver Cup was introduced in 2017 by Roger Federer in order to improve the relationships and understandings between ATP players.

Ben Shelton reveals the ‘crazy’ difference between the atmosphere of the Laver Cup and the rest of the ATP tour

Ben Shelton with Team World at the Laver Cup (via X)

Team World’s Ben Shelton said there’s been aggression on and off the court between his team and Team Europe before this year’s Laver Cup in Berlin. The competition is heating up as both teams get ready for the event.

Shelton played for Team World for the first time last year in Vancouver. His team won 13-2 against Team Europe, and the left-hander didn’t lose a single match, winning both his singles and doubles games.

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It’s a tennis atmosphere that you don’t get in a normal tournament. There’s a lot of trash talk between the two teams, and that adds to the tension.
Ben Shelton said on the Laver Cup tournament website

This year, things could be tougher for Team World. Team Europe will have top players like Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev, who want to win back the title after losing in 2022 and 2023.

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There [were] a couple of moments throughout the tournament in Vancouver last year where one of our guys, whether it was me or Taylor, played a crazy point, came up with the crazy shot, and all of us [were] just standing up, going nuts. I think that’s the Laver Cup energy for the guys who are sitting on the sidelines, and those were the moments that kind of made Laver Cup for me.
Ben Shelton added

Even with the strong competition, Shelton said his team feels pretty confident. He also shared that the Laver Cup has a different atmosphere than a regular tournament, making it exciting for everyone involved.

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Ben Shelton pays tribute to John McEnroe on his Laver Cup return

American tennis star Ben Shelton praised John McEnroe before his final year as Team World’s captain. McEnroe, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, will be replaced by Andre Agassi next year.

Ben Shelton and John McEnroe Laver Cup
Ben Shelton and John McEnroe at last year’s Laver Cup (Via X)
It was special for me being a part of it for the first time the last year, getting the nod from John McEnroe. It’s not every day that you get a Captain who’s as invested, if not more invested than you. His will to win and really wanting to beat up on the European guys was something that I thought was really cool. I already had a huge amount of respect for Johnny Mac, and I gained even more last year.
Ben Shelton said on the Laver Cup tournament website

Team World, who lost the first four editions of the Laver Cup, will aim for their third win in a row. Their recent victories were in London and Vancouver. This year, they will hope to make a hat trick in Berlin.

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It will also be Bjorn Borg‘s last time as captain of Team Europe. The Swedish tennis legend will step down, and Yannick Noah will take over in 2025. Borg and McEnroe both made a huge impact on tennis, both as players and captains. Borg is quiet and trusts his players to decide. McEnroe, on the other hand, is known for motivating his team with his words and energy.