Djokovic prefers playing in Saudi Arabia to Laver Cup

The Serb is boycotting the Laver Cup this weekend, a competition that goes against the cause he defends. But, by going to play in the Gulf country in October, he lacks consistency.

Simon Häring / ch media

The Laver Cup is a tribute to some icons of Tennis history: Rod Laver, of course, who gave it his name, but also Björn Borg and John McEnroe, respectively captains of Team Europe and Team World.

The event also brings together the best players of the moment and the nuggets set to shine in the future. This has been Roger Federer’s vision since he created and co-organized this competition in 2017.

The public and sponsors appreciate the format, in which six European players challenge a world selection. Whether in Prague, Chicago, Geneva, Boston, London or last year in Vancouver, the arenas have always been well filled, despite the sometimes exorbitant ticket prices. The same will be true in Berlin, where the seventh edition will take place between Friday and Sunday.

And among ourselves and avoidance

99 tournaments won, including 24 Grand Slams (a record); 428 weeks at the top of the world rankings (also a record) and, more recently, gold in singles at the Paris Olympics: the Serb is the most successful tennis player in history. And he is still one of the best tennis players of the moment.

The top three players – from each side, Europe and the rest of the world – in the ATP rankings after Wimbledon are automatically selected for the Laver Cup. Djokovic, the finalist on the London grass, was and still is one of them.

He was only present in 2018 in Chicago and in 2022 in London. An absence in the British capital, during Roger Federer’s big farewell, was not an option and would have blown up in his face.

Murray, Djokovic, Federer and Nadal (left to right) at the 2022 Laver Cup in London.Image: keystone

The Laver Cup attracts tennis players not only because of its unique atmosphere, but also because of the huge sums of money it pays them. In addition to the three players who automatically qualify based on their ranking, three others are invited by their respective captains. They will receive a fee that remains secret, but in Djokovic’s case, it is expected to be in the seven-figure range. Each tennis player on the winning team will also receive a bonus of $250,000.

Seeing players qualify for an event through their world ranking is common in tennis, but the Laver Cup, through its operation and the invitations it offers to some, has a particularly exclusive character.

Fight for the justice and striptease in Bulgaria

Novak Djokovic has been working for years on the ATP Players Council to ensure that tennis players benefit more from the huge revenues generated by tournaments. He is also calling for greater regulation of sports betting. But the core of his demands was and remains a fairer distribution of prices.from which the lower-ranked players should benefit more, according to the Serb. The aim is that more players can make a living from tennis.

Novak Djokovic is fighting for a better distribution of prize money in tennis. Image: keystone

The Laver Cup is not necessarily at fault for this lack of economic fairness. But what is certain is that it does not serve the cause that Djokovic defends, because it favors an exclusive circle and deprives the circuit of precious sponsors that it monopolizes.

It is to combat such developments that Novak Djokovic founded the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) five years ago. An association that aims to enable all athletes to have better access to medical services, to benefit from advice on pensions or travel, or to be a point of contact in the event of psychological problems.

“I have influence and power and I want to fight for better conditions,” said the record holder of Grand Slam titles, when this body was founded. According to him, we talk too often about the number of millions that the winners of a Grand Slam tournament receive, but too little about the small number of players who can make a living from tennis.

This is one of the reasons why Novak Djokovic is not currently in Berlin for the Laver Cup, but had fun in the Bulgarian capital Sofia during an exhibition match with Grigor Dimitrov. There he was seen laughing and dancing, singing and even stripping. The proceeds will go to the Bulgarian’s foundation, which takes care of socially disadvantaged children and adults in his country.

Djokovic has announced that he will make more such appearances in the future. However, he will participate in fewer tournaments.

The Serbian, father of two children (Stefan, 9, and Tara, 7) also admitted that his goal is not to qualify at all costs for the Masters at the end of the year in Turin (from November 10 to 17). After a mixed season, he is only ninth in the Race (the ranking of the year).

Novak Djokovic is also not expected to participate in the Laver Cup in San Francisco next year. Nor in any other future editions.

Inconsistency and millions of Saudis

But the “Djoker” is not entirely altruistic or consistent either:

Djokovic has heard the Saudi siren song.Image: keystone

In addition to Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune are on the list for this gala tournament in Riyadh, the capital of the kingdom. Their presence alone will be rewarded with 1.5 million Swiss francs. The winner will pocket six more.

French adaptation: Yoann Graber.