The reason why Casper Ruud never misses the Laver Cup

It may sound a bit exaggerated, but for Casper Ruud, the first time he played in the Laver Cup changed his life. To be more precise, what changed was his calendar schedule, as something very unique in the tournament made him never miss this event again. The numbers speak for themselves: since his debut in 2021, the Norwegian has not skipped the competition over the following four editions, confirming his deep fondness for this project. Prior to his fifth consecutive participation, the Oslo native discussed some interesting points on this matter in statements collected by the tournament's own website.

"The first time I played this tournament left a great impact on me, so I thought to myself, 'If I have the chance to play, I would love to compete each year in this event,'" emphasizes the 26-year-old with a smile of someone who keeps his word. "This is my fifth time here, I believe only Zverev from #TeamEurope has played it more times, although I do not consider myself better or more important than the others. However, the experience is certainly valuable. I think our experience will be helpful for some newcomers within the European team. We have had great successes in the past, for instance in 2024 when Carlos (Alcaraz) stepped up to help us win the title," recalls the Nordic player about the triumph in the last edition.

Undoubtedly, the Laver Cup has been a success in the men's circuit, a meeting marked by multiple successes. However, the ability to foster brotherhood and create bonds among players remains the strongest point of a competition that is now well-established. "For me, that aspect has always been very pleasant and significant from the start. I come from a country with not many tennis players around; I spent my whole life traveling the world and playing tournaments on my own. It's great to have someone close by, and that happens all the time here, meeting people you can consider close, even friends. People whom you could really call and say, 'Would you like to go for dinner and reminisce about some moments at the Laver Cup?'

NEW CAPTAIN

A novelty for this eighth edition, beyond witnessing the debuts of Joao Fonseca or Jakub Mensik in their respective teams, the major attraction lies on the sidelines, where Yannick Novak and Andre Agassi will take over from the incomparable Björn Borg and John McEnroe. I don't need to wait until Friday to know that we will greatly miss them, but time will tell how much their successors can add these new elements to make the recipe sweeter. In the case of the Frenchman, the 1963 Roland Garros champion, everyone expects a great show, an explosive personality that fits perfectly with the spectacle always presented at the Laver Cup.

Image

"He is a very lively person, I am aware that he has had a very fun life, both on and off the court," Ruud remarks about his new captain. "He really likes music, so I'm sure we will have very enjoyable moments in the locker room; he might even sing to us! Last year, he told us that he had great ideas to implement once the event arrived, so we'll see what happens. It is important to have these moments; sometimes it all gets a bit stressful on the sidelines, especially if the competition is decided in a few points," concludes the Nordic player, who will aim to claim his third trophy dressed in blue.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El motivo por el que Casper Ruud nunca se pierde la Laver Cup