The glitz, glamour and razzmatazz of the Laver Cup returns to the Sky Sports screens this weekend. Here's our guide to how the 12-player tennis tournament works...
The Ryder Cup-style event will take place on US soil for the first time when 12 of the world's top players square off against each other in a three-day team event in Chicago.
The tournament begins on Friday and pits a team of six of the best ATP Tour players from Europe against six players from the rest of the world.
Bjorn Borg's Team Europe will be defending their crown against Team World, who will once again be captained by the legendary John McEnroe.
How the Laver Cup works...
The event is the first team to reach 13 points, so on Sunday we could have anything between 2 and 5 matches. Matches on Friday are worth 1 point, Saturday 2 points and Sunday points. If the points are level at 12-12 at the end of all matches, we will have a fifth match on Sunday (The Decider).
Team Europe
| Captain |
Bjorn Borg |
| Vice-captain |
Thomas Enqvist |
| 20-time Grand Slam champion |
Roger Federer |
| Three-time Masters 1000 winner |
Alexander Zverev |
| ATP Tour Finals champion |
Grigor Dimitrov |
| 14-time major winner |
Novak Djokovic |
| ATP Tour Finals runner-up |
David Goffin |
| British No 1 |
Kyle Edmund |
| Alternate |
Jeremy Chardy |
Team World
| Captain |
John McEnroe |
| Vice-captain |
Patrick McEnroe |
| Wimbledon finalist |
Kevin Anderson |
| Miami Open champion |
John Isner |
| Rio de Janeiro winner |
Diego Schwartzman |
| Paris Masters champion |
Jack Sock |
| Brisbane winner |
Nick Kyrgios |
| Delray Beach champion |
Frances Tiafoe |
| Alternate |
Nicolas Jarry |
The inaugural tournament took place in Prague last September which Team Europe won 15-9.
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Here's the moment Roger Federer won the Laver Cup for Team Europe in 2017...
The format calls for shorter matches. If the players split sets, they go straight to a 10-point tie-break.
The event is named in honour of tennis legend Rod Laver, who won a record 200 singles titles, 11 Grand Slams and five Davis Cups for Australia.
When can you watch the Laver Cup on Sky?
| Friday 21 September |
DAY 1 (All times BST) |
A win is worth 1 point |
| Session 1 (day) |
1830-2230 |
2 singles matches - SS Action & Mix |
| Session 2 (night) |
0100-0430 |
1 singles & 1 doubles - SS Action, Mix & Event |
| Saturday 22 September |
DAY 2 |
A win is worth 2 points |
| Session 1 (day) |
1900-2230 |
2 singles matches - SS Action & Mix |
| Session 2 (night) |
0100-0430 |
1 singles & 1 doubles - SS Action & Event |
|
(The night session is repeated) |
|
| Sunday 23 September |
DAY 3 |
A win is worth 3 points |
| One Session |
1800-0100 |
SS Arena |
| Doubles #9 |
|
*It is the first to 13 points and could potentially be won after this match |
| Singles #10 |
|
*If there is a result after Singles #9 they play a doubles exhibition match in this slot |
| Singles #11 |
|
if required |
| Singles #12 |
|
if required |
| Doubles #13 |
|
if required (the decider, only played if scores level at 12-12) |
We have every major tennis event covered from all angles via our website skysports.com/tennis. On the move? Head to our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsTennis to join in the conversation.
Tennis is back on Sky Sports screens with the Laver Cup in September while we will also have coverage of the ATP Finals in November with every match live on Sky Sports.
