From September 19 to 22, six top tennis players from Europe faced off against six elite players representing the rest of the world in the Laver Cup tournament at the Chase Center. Over the course of three days with several singles and doubles matches, Team World defeated Team Europe 15-9, securing their third Laver Cup championship. This victory was secured by Taylor Fritz, who defeated Alexandre Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4).
Founded in 2017, the Laver Cup, named after tennis great Rod Laver, was created by tennis legend Roger Federer as a team competition inspired by golf’s Ryder Cup. A significant feature of this tournament is its team-based format, with each team being led by a captain. This year featured icons, including Yannick Noah in charge of Team Europe and Andre Agassi leading Team World. Each team consists of six players: three based on ATP ranking and the remaining three selected by the captains.
Matches are scored cumulatively over three days, with each day carrying increased point values–day 1 victories are worth one point, day 2 wins are worth two points, and day three wins are worth three points. First to 13 wins. Captains make crucial decisions, including who plays singles or doubles matches in order to maximize their team’s chances of scoring points.
This year’s Laver Cup featured several thrilling performances including Taylor Fritz’s upset over world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. Senior Skyler Cheng said, “Taylor Fritz shocked me with his defeat of world number 1 Carlos Alcaraz.” Skyler added, “He was clearly the leader of Team World in their victory.”
Team World dominated the final day, starting with a 9-3 lead. Despite efforts from Team Europe, including a singles win by Carlos Alcaraz and a doubles victory with Casper Ruud, the comeback fell short.
This Laver Cup ultimately shows how San Francisco is capable of becoming a major center for professional tennis. Chase Center hosted the matches, and the surrounding Thrive City area was converted into a major fan zone with four-time grand slam winner Andy Roddick even hosting his Served podcast there live. In the days leading up to the tournament, there were many promotional events that occurred across the city, including Roger Federer playing with Mayor Daniel Lurie, top players visiting the Golden State Warriors practice facility, and even Carlos Alcaraz visiting Alcatraz.
Looking ahead, the Laver Cup 2026 will be hosted in London’s O2 Arena, continuing its tradition of being a stage for top tier tennis and a fun unique team format. Being hosted in San Francisco, this year’s Laver Cup ultimately boosted the city’s reputation as a vibrant and tennis-friendly city. Hopefully, there will be more tennis events like this to come.