Laver Cup 2019, Geneva - Sep 20-22, 2019

This link gives a further link to a YouTube channel where ALL the 12 2019 Laver Cup matches have been uploaded/

https://federer.forumotion.com/t93p15-full-match-videos-and-highlights#63047

Hi there,

This is Felicity!  Sorry, very late to the party celebrating that Team Europe won the Laver Cup in Geneva.  Why? Because I was there!!  Woo hoo, it was AWESOME!! AWESOME!! AWESOME!!

What a wonderful event!  I finally checked off an item on my bucket list.  After Geneva, I was still traveling around, so I got back early this week and am fighting jetlag.  I know it's a bit late to post some eye-witnessed sights and sounds of the Laver Cup.  Hope you don't mind.  By the way, after LC, on a cheese and chocolate tour from Geneva, I met at least 6 fans who also had been to Laver Cup!!  They all came to see Roger.

Anyway, here is a link of some of my pictures and videos.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ULV9cCk91GWUJeKh8
**Check the last video with a policeman in front of a hotel**

YES YES YES!! I saw Roger leave the hotel with his family, Papa and Mama Federer the next morning.  It was totally unexpected, I was roaming around town and heard loud scream on the other side of the street. Didn't realize there was a throng of fans and media crowding together in front of Four Seasons.  Please don't mind me, I squealed a bit here and there.  Too excited! The best moment of my trip.   Even though I didn't get a selfie with Roger but this was way better.

I met Cromar there and somehow our section sat a bunch of vocal North American fans...from Newfoundland, Canada, Washington DC and around.  The atmosphere was electric, so loud, so heart-pumping, it was the most fun ; plus our seats were pretty good. It was awesome cheering and stumping our feet on the metal platform; I bet you could hear it in those clips of matches.  It was pretty deafening actually.  Apparently, Roger said it was something the Swiss fans like to do.

The best part for me was being surrounded by 17,000 passionate tennis fans, cheering, jeering, stumping and holding our breaths collectively. Come to think of it, it seems absurd that we simply lived or died on a yellow ball bouncing around.

Roger was surely the most loved and respected.  Even the cheers for Rafa was not as loud. Of course, it was Geneva, Roger's home country.  He did choke up when he thanked the Geneva fans a few times when being interviewed.  Oh right, before Day 1's Opening Ceremony. At a cafe just next to Palexpo, we ran into Severin Luthi and we happily took selfies with him.

Anyway, from the link, you could see photos that showed you how big the space was, they practically built a practice court in there (I caught Sasha practicing), some food trucks serving food and a huge screen for people to watch on beach chairs. The space was huge....I felt like I was in a scene in the Hunger Games movie where there were the procession of chariots ??!! The hospitality packages included a section for them to have munchies and private resting area I believe.  On the last day, the chairs were sold at 10 Swiss Franc a piece. Too bad, I can't bring it back to Canada (see picture).

Okay, I have to go. Back to reality, lots to do. Hope you all could see the link.
Sorry I have never posted anything like this on the forum, if there's any problem.  Hope someone can fix the link.  

Enjoy! Talk later.
Felicity

Thank you Felicity for your wonderful post, and for taking us inside the Swiss Arena in the pics and the V.clips. Loved it. Especially watching Roger pack his family in the Mercedes Van and drive off. Was that you holding the beach chair in the Pic?   I didn't see your picture with Cromar... are you posting it later?  I hope so.. Have a great day.

federerworshipper wrote:Thank you Felicity for your wonderful post, and for taking us inside the Swiss Arena in the pics and the V.clips. Loved it. Especially watching Roger pack his family in the Mercedes Van and drive off. Was that you holding the beach chair in the Pic?   I didn't see your picture with Cromar... are you posting it later?  I hope so.. Have a great day.

Hi Federerworshipper, you are most welcome!

Glad you enjoyed the pictures and videos. I have more, just a teaser now. Need to sort them though.
Well, no, that was not me. Sowwy I was shy, probably won't post my face here. That was a fan I passed by and I asked her for a picture as she bought two chairs as souvenirs.

It was soooooooooo much fun. You see, not many of my friends and family share my passion on tennis. But when you are cheering with 17,000 tennis fans who are 99% for Roger, it was an electric atmosphere. I joined in to stump our feet when Roger was up a break point or set point. That was one of my best memories from Lavar Cup.

I also want to point out that some tennis fans online thought LC was just an exhibition; IMO, absolutely not. The players were dead serious, the tensions were airtight and it was very competitive. Cromar and I were kind of concerned as Team Europe lost the first 2 matches on Day 3, but Roger came to the rescue and won the 3rd. Credit to Sasha, after some "blasting" from Roger and Rafa in the locker room . He gathered himself and played very well to defeat Milos (who's a fellow Canadian)

Now, I'm quite broke after this trip, Boston is very tempting as it's in North America and not far to fly to....???
Okay, hope to post another link for pictures and videos soon. Enjoy your weekend.
Felicity

Hi there,

Here's another link for more pictures and videos taken in LC.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FLr8Q8FBKaoVHEmF9 cheers:

You could see more photos inside Palexpo, I shot some videos with audio describing the space.  In one of the videos, you could tell Roger just choked up when thanking the Geneva crowd. Awww..... Then, the last few short videos captured the moment of the last 2 points and the victorious moment for Team Europe.

Enjoy! Can't wait to watch Roger play again in Shanghai.
Felicity

Felicity wrote:I also want to point out that some tennis fans online thought LC was just an exhibition; IMO, absolutely not. The players were dead serious, the tensions were airtight and it was very competitive.

Really irks me when "haters" call the Laver Cup an exho. It most certainly is not. The players don't treat it that way at all. I was in Chicago and as you say, the tension was palpable!

Felicity wrote:Now, I'm quite broke after this trip, Boston is very tempting as it's in North America and not far to fly to....???

As I said above, I went to Chicago and had hoped to go to Geneva, but I waited too long to make my plans (as I would have wanted to be tourist for a few days as well) and it just fell through. I have every intention of going to Boston though - an easy flight since I live in the US but I've never been to Boston so I'm already planning!

Steerpike60 wrote:
As I said above, I went to Chicago and had hoped to go to Geneva, but I waited too long to make my plans (as I would have wanted to be tourist for a few days as well) and it just fell through.  I have every intention of going to Boston though - an easy flight since I live in the US but I've never been to Boston so I'm already planning!

Right Steerpike60,

It seems some fans and media people object to Laver Cup being counted as part of ATP. Hmm... isn't it true that when Sasha opted to play an exhibition with Roger and opted out of Davis Cup; it was Roger that got blasted online?? Maybe some publications simply like to stir the pot and spin whatever is related to Roger.

Yes, Boston is very doable, just that I need to pace myself in my expenses in the traveling department
Okay, time to catch some highlights of Roger's match today.

Felicity

O you blessed few! I always rejoice when people from our site, or just generally people who are not necessarily rich or have influential connections can make it to some of these big events. I saw Roger in Toronto twice. It is a fairly meager tournament: the play was wonderful, but there were really not extras, and I don't mean cheerleader kinds of things, and besides, decent seats for one match were really expensive. It seems to me that one should be able to buy a ticket for an afternoon or evening or morning session. I do like what the GS do: they have ground passes and it gets people closer and also includes them in the experinece when they can't get or afford decent seats. Those events are doing things the right way: they are generous and inclusive with the fans.
Also, the reports and pictures that come our way because of those of you who are present are always and forever delightful. So it is wonderful for you, and you share it with us. It is a Rogeresque kind of thing, isn't it?

HeartoftheMatter wrote:O you blessed few! I always rejoice when people from our site, or just generally people who are not necessarily rich or have influential connections can make it to some of these big events. ..... Also, the reports and pictures that come our way because of those of you who are present are always and forever delightful. So it is wonderful for you, and you share it with us. It is a Rogeresque kind of thing, isn't it?

Hi HeartoftheMatter,

You are most welcome! So glad you enjoyed the photos and videos; I wish I could have shared the links earlier but I was traveling. It was truly my pleasure to share them as so many of you have shared your experiences (tournaments and fan photos) so generously here.

Hmm, if I dream about going to another tournament, I will choose Halle. It's small enough to be cozy and I would love to visit Germany and the surrounding places. Okay, save save save now!

Time to catch Roger's match highlights today, Go Roger Go!
Felicity