Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
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Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
I'm definitely planning to go to Chicago for this and will probably buy my tickets on Monday. If anyone else is planning to go and wants to try and get tickets together so maybe we can have an RF group, let me know.
Steerpike60- Posts : 2993
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
And he got millions of replies on Twitter! Who needs Trip Advisor when your name is RF!
By the way, I didn't know that their deep dish pizza was a national dish in Chicago!
Can’t wait to visit #Chicago for the first time next week. What shall I do while I am in town? #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/OMFSu04mXK
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) March 15, 2018
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
Steerpike60- Posts : 2993
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
Roger was in Chicago today to promote the Laver Cup, which will take place at the United Center in September... and he had his deep dish pizza, too! And guess what?... he shaved!
Roger Federer and friends launch Laver Cup in Chicago
By Laver Cup
March 19, 2018
- Tickets on sale to the general public on Friday, March 23
- Advance access for Chase cardholders on Tuesday, March 20
Roger Federer, 20-time Grand Slam champion and one of the greatest players of all time, was joined by the legendary Rod Laver, seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe and top-ranked Australian male Nick Kyrgios in Chicago today to launch the Laver Cup, which will take place at the United Center from September 21-23.
Tickets for the highly-anticipated second edition of the Laver Cup, a unique team competition unlike any other in men’s tennis, go on sale Friday, March 23 at 10:00am Central Daylight Time (CDT) via LaverCup.com and Ticketmaster.com.
Tickets are expected to be in high demand so fans are advised to get in early to book for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“I’m very excited to be here in Chicago today to launch the Laver Cup,” Federer said.
“The first tournament in Prague was very special for both the players and the fans and I can’t wait to play the Laver Cup here in the sports-mad city of Chicago.”
“Being part of Team Europe, with the legendary Björn Borg as our captain, and winning the first-ever Laver Cup was an incredible experience.
“It was amazing to team up with players who are normally your biggest rivals, and have the chance to play on the same side of the net and be members of the same team.
“I play against guys like Rafa (Nadal), Marin (Cilic), Sasha (Zverev), Dom (Thiem) and Tomas (Berdych) all the time, so to have them on my side, cheering me on, giving me advice and me doing the same for them, meant so much,” Federer continued.
Federer and Kyrgios last played each other at the Laver Cup. The passionate and tightly contested match was a thriller, with Federer sealing the win for Team Europe in a tiebreak 4-6 7-6(6) [11-9].
Federer and Kyrgios met up today at Chicago’s iconic Cloud Gate sculpture, where along with event namesake Rod Laver, and Team World captain, John McEnroe, they were officially welcomed to the city by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The pair enjoyed a friendly hit in the stunning location, with an enthusiastic local crowd cheering on.
Roger Federer has a hit against Nick Kyrgios on a mini court in front of the Bean to launch Laver Cup 2018 tickets on-sale in Chicago. Photo: Ben Solomon
Today was Federer’s and Kyrgios’ first visit to Chicago, and the Laver Cup will mark the return of elite men’s tennis to the city for the first time in 27 years, when John McEnroe defeated his brother Patrick to win the Chicago Open in 1991.
“Chicago is a great sports city with a great sports tradition. I’m really excited to be a part of bringing a big-time tennis event, with the biggest stars in our sport, to Chicago”, McEnroe said
“I’m relying on very passionate and knowledgeable tennis fans to support Team World to win the Laver Cup. As Captain of Team World, I’m in this to win and the home court advantage should be helpful.
“Last year Nick Kyrgios was a great team player and performer for Team World. He gave everything he had and left it all on the court. I’m very pleased to be able to name Nick as my first Team World player for the Laver Cup Chicago,” McEnroe continued.
There are just 185 days until the Laver Cup takes place at the United Center in Chicago – the countdown has begun.
Roger Federer enjoys a deep dish Chicago pizza with John McEnroe, Nick Krygios and Rod Laver ahead of the Laver Cup 2018 launch. Photo: Ben Solomon
Laver Cup tickets
- Multi-session tickets offering the same seat for all five sessions (over three days) go on sale Friday, March 23 at 10:00am Central Daylight Time (CDT) via LaverCup.com and Ticketmaster.com
- Advance access for Chase cardholders. Use your Chase debit or credit card to purchase advance tickets from Tuesday, March 20 at 10:00am CDT to Wednesday, March 21 at 11:59pm CDT*: BOOK HERE
- Ticket prices start at: USD $260.00
- A limited number of hospitality packages are also available
*Limit eight (8) per customer. Subject to availability. Limited time offer while supplies last.
The legend of Rod Laver
Cromar- Posts : 6560
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
Look who’s just blown into the windy city.@rogerfederer #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/s9emDcXHOI
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) March 19, 2018
Cromar- Posts : 6560
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
https://www.facebook.com/LaverCup/videos/1817663694970803/
Roger meeting the fans in the Windy City
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
CBS News item:
This is one I've not seen, seems to be a summary of the day
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
Steerpike60- Posts : 2993
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY MARCH 20, 2018
CHICAGO — Day was breaking in the California desert, and Roger Federer was yawning on the tarmac. How much sleep?
“Five hours,” he said. “Not enough after a match like that.”
The final of the BNP Paribas Open had indeed been quite a test: a 2-hour-42-minute duel with Juan Martín del Potro that was out of tune with Federer’s crescendo season. He ended up losing in a lopsided third-set tiebreaker after serving for the title and holding three match points at 5-4 in the final set.
“It’s always disappointing when you lose having had match points,” Federer said. “I think I was a bit lucky to even get into a third set, and he was a bit lucky to get to the tiebreak and finish it off. Sadly, I lost my game a bit at the end.”
But that was Sunday afternoon. This was Monday morning, early Monday morning, and Federer was back on the move: arriving at sunrise at the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal, a short drive from Indian Wells.
Along for the ride were Tony Godsick, his agent; Alessandro Sant’Albano, Godsick’s associate; and Severin Luethi, Federer’s coach, who looked even sleepier than Federer.
Federer’s wife, Mirka, and their four children were set to travel separately to Florida for the Miami Open. But Federer was breaking away for a few hours, catching a private jet to Chicago to promote the Laver Cup, the team event that he helped create with Godsick and played at last year in Prague.
This was a long-planned detour, but it also ended up serving as a way to quickly change the chip after the final in Indian Wells, Federer’s first loss in 2018.
“Roger’s life, if it’s not hectic, it’s not Roger’s life, because it’s all he knows,” Godsick said.
He has been with Federer since 2005, leaving IMG with him in 2013 to form Team8. Their families are exceptionally close: Godsick’s wife, the former tennis star Mary Joe Fernandez, is a godmother of Federer’s children.
But today is about business, and Federer, back at No. 1 at age 36, is clearly pushing himself to make it happen after back-to-back three-set matches on Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s passion and a love for the game,” Federer said. “And Laver Cup is something that is very dear to me, so clearly I always have extra energy for the Laver Cup. For my own career, I don’t play as much anymore, and when I am there, it’s all out and full speed, and then I need the time away again.”
After takeoff at 7 a.m., there was no shortage of legroom or long yawns. There was an unsuccessful attempt at a nap in his chair, a modest shared breakfast (burritos, steel-cut oatmeal and juice) and plenty of chatter about this being Federer’s first trip to Chicago. He then went into a separate cabin at 8:30 a.m., closed the drapes and took a 45-minute official nap that may or may not have included actual napping.
“He would have been up early anyway today because he’s got four kids, and they are still adjusting from European time,” Godsick said. “He also had to get to Miami. We spend a lot of time maximizing time, because he doesn’t have that much time. This is a four-hour detour. There are worse things to do, but sure it’s hard.”
As the plane approached Midway International Airport after about three hours in the air, Federer warmed up for chilly Chicago with a quick quiz.
N.F.L. team? “Bears,” he answered.
N.H.L. team? “Blackhawks.”
Baseball team? “Cubs.”
And? “White Sox,” he said triumphantly after a pause, dragging out the vowels in his best American accent.
There was no need to test him on the N.B.A. Federer has been an N.B.A. fan since boyhood and was 16 when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen won their last title with the Bulls in 1998.
A visit to United Center, the home arena of the Bulls and the Blackhawks and the site of the Laver Cup in September, was a big part of Monday’s dense itinerary, which was focused on building interest for the event and creating social-media content.
Federer walked down the plane’s stairway shortly after 1 p.m. Chicago time after selecting a fresh set of clothes. He was soon at a deep-dish pizza parlor downtown for a photo op with the 79-year-old Rod Laver, John McEnroe and the Australian star Nick Kyrgios.
A former No. 1-ranked player, McEnroe still wears many a tennis hat and is the captain of the Laver Cup’s Team World, which lost to Federer, Rafael Nadal and Team Europe in last year’s inaugural edition. Kyrgios, 22, was one of the most enthusiastic members of McEnroe’s team in Prague, leading the cheers and nearly defeating Federer in the final and decisive match of the competition.
“The funnest week of my career so far, better than the Grand Slams,” said Kyrgios, who for all his evident talent has yet to get past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament. If he comes closer to fulfilling his massive potential, he and his generation will be critical to the Laver Cup’s uncertain future.
After proving Laver Cup could be done, Godsick and Federer now must prove it can be sustained, both economically and competitively, in a sport with a full calendar. Any new event that lacks ranking points and mandatory participation is vulnerable to irrelevance.
With Federer still near the peak of his powers, Chicago should be a success, and Godsick expects to sell out United Center for all three days of competition. Rahm Emanuel, the Chicago mayor, was part of the push to secure the event for the city, which has long been without a men’s or women’s main tour event. Emanuel joined Federer and the others on Monday at a news conference. There were also cameo appearances from Pippen and the German soccer star Bastian Schweinsteiger. Schweinsteiger plays for the Chicago Fire of M.L.S. and became a parent last week with his wife, the retired tennis player Ana Ivanovic. Pippen, 52, served as chief tour guide for Federer and Co. as they visited the Bulls’ and the Blackhawks’ locker rooms and the statues of Pippen and Jordan at United Center.
Federer said he got goose bumps when he met Pippen and got a few more chills as he walked into the arena for the first time, though not because of the sheet of ice still in place after Sunday night’s N.H.L. game. “It’s like a multiple layer cake,” Federer said after gazing up and up. “In Europe, we don’t have those very often, where you have suites and another layer and another layer. Usually it stops after two or three, but here it keeps going. I think it’s going to be epic.”
The Laver Cup’s epicness will be determined in large part by who actually decides to play. The competition comes less than two weeks after the United States Open. Might some European and Asian stars — some of whom, like Hyeon Chung of South Korea, are represented by IMG — choose to save their energy for other late-season events?
“I think that’s going to always be an open question a little bit,” Federer said. “I hope it’s not going to happen. I hope by showcasing and giving them such an amazing platform and being part of something quite
unique, being on a team together, that they would not want to miss it. There comes a bit of sacrifice with doing something like this.”
The Laver Cup offers prize money to the winning team and sizable participation fees on a graduated scale. Team8 has arranged for private-jet travel to and from Europe to encourage European players like Nadal and Alexander Zverev to play again and others, Novak Djokovic in particular, to play for the first time. Djokovic and Andy Murray, both injured last year, did not take part, and it is unclear whether they would have done so anyway.
Federer, meanwhile, continues to fly improbably high as the oldest No. 1 in ATP history. How long can he defy gravity? “When I started with him, I made many more predictions than I do now, and I was very often wrong,” Luethi said. “I am ready to be surprised by him. I’m actually expecting to be surprised by him, and I think the best thing is to leave it open and not try to put fences around it.”
For Federer, who will most likely skip the clay-court season for a second straight year, the key is internal at this stage.
“When you go to, say, Rotterdam, you need to go there with fire,” he said. “If you’re not excited at this age, don’t do it. It’s that simple.”
Creating and playing in the Laver Cup, his potential legacy event, has helped feed the fire. But then, so has his personality: extroverted and still curious about new people and new experiences.
“Think about today,” he said on his way back to Midway Airport. “We left with the sunrise, beautiful weather in Indian Wells, and we get here and it’s cold and a totally different vibe. That’s the beauty of travel, of seeing different places. I love it. I do. I still love it.”
With that, he was soon successfully fighting the Chicago wind to open the car door and heading up the stairway. Last stop on this genuinely manic Monday: Miami.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/sports/tennis/roger-federer-laver-cup-chicago.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Ftennis&action=click&contentCollection=tennis®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront
Steerpike60- Posts : 2993
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
Great article from Clarey! Now we know what Roger did on Monday... and he didn't only eat pizza, gosh!
Always so busy, I don't know how he does it, really! He is amazing!
Cromar- Posts : 6560
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
It was great meeting two legends of tennis in Chicago. @rogerfederer @rodlaver All the best for the Laver Cup in September in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/gpiJ9Xmczb
— BastiSchweinsteiger (@BSchweinsteiger) March 20, 2018
His name is Luka...
Welcome to the world our little boy Words can not describe the joy and the happiness we feel in our hearts! @BSchweinsteiger pic.twitter.com/Mk8lyJFwvh
— Ana Ivanovic(@AnaIvanovic) March 19, 2018
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
Who better to give @RogerFederer and @NickKyrgios a tour of the @UnitedCenter - venue for September's #LaverCup - than Hall of Famer, six-time NBA champion, and Olympic gold medalist @ScottiePippen? pic.twitter.com/483ngI2FwD
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) March 21, 2018
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
Roger's post from yesterday announcing that regular tickets are going on sale today...
Loved being in Chicago and can’t wait to return for the @LaverCup in September... Hope you can join me there. Tickets going on sale tomorrow!! Get em quick pic.twitter.com/85mgZmWBgQ
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) March 23, 2018
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
striker- Posts : 1398
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Re: Laver Cup 2018, Chicago - Sep 21-23, 2018
Of course, if Nadal has one, the others would too, no?
A Cup in hand
January 22, 2018
They battled for three days to get their hands on the Laver Cup. Now, each player from the winning Team Europe side will take home their own Laver Cup trophy.
See full article here: A Cup in hand
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