Seeking recognition, Laver Cup scores among fans

PRAGUE: It takes the eye a while to get used to the black court with white lines, surrounded by sponsor logos in white and gold, but when it does, the picture is rather impressive.

The court is just one special feature of the new Laver Cup pitting Team Europe against Team World in a format similar to golf’s Ryder Cup.

“I think it’s very elegant,” enthused Agnieszka Widmann, a blonde Polish woman living in Prague, who has come to watch the competition.

Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev, Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem and Tomas Berdych have come to represent Europe against the world’s Sam Querrey, John Isner, Nick Kyrgios, Jack Sock, Denis Shapovalov and Frances Tiafoe.

“It’s nice, entertaining, it’s something new, not like regular Grand Slams and ATP tournaments,” Widmann told AFP.

“Lovely, beautiful, it’s nicely set, a fantastic idea,” added former Czech tennis star Bohdan Ulihrach.

And costly, too -- while Widmann sips champagne at 12 euros ($14) a glass, a three-day ticket to Prague’s sold-out O2 Arena cost up to 2,200 dollars, which is twice the average monthly wage in the host country.

The cheapest day ticket in the rafters cost 40 euros.

“My initial thought was that maybe we could have a celebration of tennis on the weekend,” says Federer. - AFP