The CEO of the Laver Cup has addressed Jannik Sinner’s absence after organisers failed to entice the world No. 1 to Berlin.
The two-time Grand Slam champion has never played in the Roger Federer-created team tournament.
But the Laver Cup bosses are hoping that will change after recently holding talks with Sinner.
The Ryder Cup-style event has always drawn in big names, especially when Federer was still playing and could represent Team Europe. The Swiss star has formed powerhouse doubles partnerships with his rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic over the years in the tournament.
For Federer’s retirement in 2022, the entire Big Four were part of the squad. And this year, four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz is making his Laver Cup debut. But the tournament has still never managed to get Sinner in the line-up.
Addressing his absence from this year’s seventh edition in Berlin, Laver Cup CEO Steve Zacks revealed there had been developments in trying to get the Italian on board. “Look, the way the system works is each year the top three players for both sides get invited,” he said on Friday.
Laver Cup confirm Jannik Sinner development as Italian skips event in Berlin
“In the case of the World, they all accepted, and more than that, as you go down the line. On the other side, it always comes down to individual schedules and what are their priorities at that particular time.”
Djokovic has also missed this year’s Laver Cup, though he played in 2018 and 2022. And Sinner could soon get his Team Europe initiation. Zacks continued: “So we certainly have had Novak participate. We have not had Jannik yet.
“I know we are talking to him right now. We’d love to have him. But sometimes their schedules, sponsor commitments, and so forth make them commit to certain tournaments. They do need a break, and sometimes that falls on the Laver Cup week and we miss out.”
For now, Laver Cup organisers are excited to finally have Alcaraz at their event, having first spoken to his team about an appearance two years ago. Tony Godsick – Federer’s agent who co-created the tournament with him – said: “Obviously Carlos Alcaraz is with us, which is, after having such a great run as of late, to get him into the Laver Cup fold, super excited.”
