The idea that would revolutionize the Laver Cup

I had been following several editions of the Laver Cup without paying too much attention. I saw it from afar, consumed some highlights, and not much more. This year, however, the opposite has happened. I have become hooked. And not so much because of the results or the sporting significance of the tournament, but because of everything that has generated around it.

The Laver Cup still has a bit of an exhibition feel, obviously. There is also a lot of money involved and a carefully crafted aesthetic to sell the product. But that is precisely where a good part of its success lies. It understands that modern tennis doesn't end when the point is over. And when you have Carlos Alcaraz as the main protagonist, everything becomes much easier.

Alcaraz shows how important it is to choose players wisely for the Laver Cup

For me, the main conclusion from this edition is that the Laver Cup depends heavily on the players who are part of the teams. Alcaraz is the best example. He not only brings the tennis level expected from one of the best players in the world. He also constantly generates content. He has charisma, conveys energy, celebrates his teammates' points, talks on the bench, jokes, advises, and makes even certain dead moments interesting.

This year, moreover, I particularly enjoyed the good atmosphere generated around young players like Mensik or Rafa Jodar. Watching them interact, comment on matches, share the bench, and experience the competition from within offers something that the regular circuit can hardly ever teach.

Usually, we see the tennis player alone. They enter the court, compete, and leave. Here you get to know another version of the player. You see how they tactically interpret a match, what they say to a teammate, how they react to certain situations, and how they experience tennis when they are not the one holding the racket. That brings the spectator much closer.

The format works because things are always happening

Another point I like is the dynamism. The competition is designed so that there is excitement until the last day, and the matches with super tiebreaks instead of a third set help a lot to achieve that. It may be less appealing from a purely tennis perspective, but within this product, it makes sense.

The Laver Cup does not aim to be Wimbledon. It seeks another rhythm. Quick matches, teammates cheering from the bench, captains constantly participating, and a sense of a permanent event. Additionally, on a social media level, I find it possibly one of the best products that tennis currently has.

There is content about absolutely everything. Players eating together, conversations during matches, celebrations, jokes, training sessions, tactical advice, moments in the locker rooms, or interactions that we normally would never see during a conventional ATP tournament.

This means that even someone who is not watching all the matches can still follow the competition through social media. And today, that is essential.

Agassi and Noah are an absolute success

I also think the choice of captains is very successful. Having figures like Andre Agassi and Yannick Noah adds much more than just placing someone sitting next to the court. Agassi, in particular, generates tremendous attention.

Imagine being a young player and competing while one of the greatest tennis players in history is giving you tactical advice from the bench. I would pay to experience something like that. Moreover, these conversations have that fundamental component again, as they allow the spectator to learn.

When you hear former champions analyze where a player should serve, how to attack a specific shot, or what pattern to repeat, you see tennis from a completely different perspective. It is entertainment, yes. But it is also tennis content of immense value.

My PROS and THINGS TO IMPROVE about the Laver Cup:

✅ Players like Alcaraz make this event great. Charismatic, his energy transcends the screen. Apart from his magic on the court, he gives you a thousand moments on the bench. Teams should be built based on such players.

✅ Format… https://t.co/c6Rsg20TJe pic.twitter.com/fqpkUhPjNr

— José Morón (@jmgmoron) September 27, 2026

The problem: when stars are missing, the product falls apart

Precisely because of all this, I think the biggest weakness of the Laver Cup is quite clear. It depends too much on the names. There have been recent editions where the lineup was not particularly attractive, and the competition lost a lot of interest.

Because if you eliminate the charismatic players, the interesting conversations on the bench, and the great stars, what remains can seem like just a series of friendly matches with a spectacular setup. And therein lies the danger.

Alcaraz, for example, supports a huge part of the show. Without someone like him, this edition would have been completely different. That’s why the organization should build the teams thinking not only about the ranking. It needs players who generate things. Different personalities. Tennis players who talk, celebrate, convey, and want to participate in the show.

And hopefully, one year we can see Alcaraz and Sinner together in this format, because it would probably be the perfect scenario to exploit that dimension even further.

The great idea for the Laver Cup: a legends match

And here I arrive at the change I would most like to see. The Laver Cup should incorporate a legends match. Well presented, with good names, and placed at an important time.

Because I honestly believe that a Federer-Roddick, Federer-Agassi, McEnroe-Borg, or even a hypothetical Nadal-Sampras would have much more appeal to the public than certain matches between second-tier players.

Evidently, it would not be tennis at the highest competitive level. But I don't think that matters. The very nature of the Laver Cup allows for something like this. This event is about creating a spectacle, generating conversations, and getting people to want to sit in front of a television, uniting different generations of tennis and imagining what it would be like to see Nadal playing while receiving advice from Alcaraz, facing Agassi or Sampras. It would be wonderful.

I can perfectly imagine the social media throughout the week generating content around Federer picking up a racket to face Roddick. Or an evening session featuring Agassi and another legend. It would be nostalgia, entertainment, and marketing at the same time. And possibly one of the most watched moments of the weekend.

The Davis Cup could also learn a few things

The comparison with the Davis Cup may be uncomfortable because they are completely different competitions, but I believe there are some valuable lessons.

The Davis Cup has history, sporting importance, and an emotional component that the Laver Cup will never be able to replicate. But sometimes it conveys too much seriousness. The Laver Cup understands modern entertainment codes much better.

I am not talking about turning the Davis Cup into an artificial spectacle or copying formats. I am talking about facilitating the audience’s observation of more personality from the players, generating content around them, and ensuring there are stories outside of the matches as well.

Because tennis currently competes for viewer attention with hundreds of alternatives. It is no longer enough to just offer good matches. You have to ensure that the audience connects with those who play them, and this tournament guarantees that in that sense.

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