Team Europe will go in search of a fifth consecutive Laver Cup title when they face off against Team World at the O2 Arena in London for the 2022 tournament, which takes place from September 23-25.
Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe will once again bark orders from the coaching area, but the pre-tournament talk has been dominated by one name and one name only.
Preview
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After 24 years in the professional game, 103 ATP singles titles and 20 Grand Slam triumphs, Swiss superstar Roger Federer will take to the court for the final time at this year's Laver Cup, as the 41-year-old announced his imminent retirement earlier this month.
Having been bedevilled by injuries during the twilight of his career, Federer - who has not played competitively since last year's Wimbledon due to knee surgery - prepares for his swansong in front of the London crowd as he joins a star-studded collection of European talents.
Federer will play just the one doubles match at the 2022 Laver Cup before making way for Italy's Matteo Berrettini, and the former's Big Three rivals in Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will both participate for Team Europe as well.
For Djokovic, the 35-year-old makes his return to the court after being unable to defend his US Open title due to his COVID-19 vaccination stance, while Nadal's run at Flushing Meadows ceased at the last-16 stage, ending the Spaniard's hopes of completing a Grand Slam.
Norway's Casper Ruud makes his second appearance at the Laver Cup following defeats in the finals of both the French Open and US Open, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will also compete for glory with Team Europe on the back of his second consecutive Monte-Carlo Masters triumph earlier this year.
Finally, the home crowd will be queuing up to get a glimpse of Andy Murray in action following a disappointing Davis Cup campaign for Great Britain - which will likely be his last - as the three-time major winner makes his Laver Cup debut.
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The less said about the 2021 tournament for Team World the better, as McEnroe's crop seek to consign that comprehensive 14-1 loss to history and somehow prevent Team Europe from storming to a fifth consecutive Laver Cup triumph.
Bjorg and McEnroe claimed seven wins apiece during their famed on-court rivalry, but the Swede has certainly got the better of his old adversary in recent years, as McEnroe looks to the Americas and Australia to end Europe's perennial reign of dominance.
Among the players for Team World are Frances Tiafoe, who conquered Nadal at the US Open and got as far as the semi-finals - the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2006 to do so - before being seen off by eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Tiafoe was called up to replace the big-serving John Isner, who is nursing a wrist injury, and he will take to the court alongside fellow USA stars Taylor Fritz - the highest-ranked player for Team World at 12 - and Jack Sock, the latter of whom is competing at his fourth Laver Cup event.
Tommy Paul will act as the alternate for Team World, who are also with Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, Australia's Alex de Minaur and Argentina's Diego Schwartzman for the 2022 tournament.
De Minaur will continue the Australian representation in the tournament in the absence of Nick Kyrgios, who will miss the Laver Cup for the first time this year, and Team World undoubtedly head to London as the underdogs once again.
Format/Schedule
A total of 12 matches will take place across the three days in London, with three singles matches followed by one doubles match on days one and two, and Federer's farewell will come in the opening doubles encounter.
On day three, proceedings will begin with the doubles match before the tournament closes with three successive singles battles, and whichever team reaches 13 points first will be crowned Laver Cup champions.
One point will be awarded for each victory on day one, two points for victories on day two and three for victories on day three. As a result, the maximum amount of points a team could accumulate at the end of day two is 12, meaning that the champions cannot be decided until the third and final day.
2022 Laver Cup schedule in full
Friday September 23:
Day session (1pm) - Match 1 (singles), Match 2 (singles)
Night session (7pm) - Match 3 (singles), Match 4 (doubles)
Saturday September 24:
Day session (1pm) - Match 5 (singles), Match 6 (singles)
Night session (7pm) - Match 7 (singles), Match 8 (doubles)
Sunday September 25:
Day session (1pm) - Match 9 (doubles), Match 10 (singles)
Night session (7pm) - Match 11 (singles), Match 12 (singles)
Previous tournaments
2017: Team Europe def. Team USA 15–9
2018: Team Europe def. Team USA 13-8
2019: Team Europe def. Team USA 13–11
2021: Team Europe def. Team USA 14-1
We say: Team Europe to win
Team Europe's dominance in the Laver Cup is set to continue against a Team World outfit boasting a number of high-profile names, but ones that do not possess the same fear factor as Bjorg's champions.
One final title would be the perfect way for Federer to end an illustrious career, and the Laver Cup should once again fall into the arms of Team Europe in front of the London crowd.
Ben Knapton
