Chicago Embraces Team Tennis Concept
CHICAGO — Championship tennis returned to Chicago at 1:16 p.m. Friday, when Grigor Dimitrov blasted an ace past American Frances Tiafoe.
One point for Team Europe, one giant leap for Chicago sports?
The Laver Cup is being played at the United Center this weekend. And judging by the size of the crowd and the knowledge of the fans, this was long overdue.
The sounds were what you hear at Grand Slams — the hushed dialogue between points, the whistles after close calls, the rhythmic clapping that accompanies a player challenge, the screams of “C'mon, Frances!” after the Maryland native lost the first six points.
The cheers worked — or at least didn't hurt.
Tiafoe got rolled in the first set 6-1, as Dimitrov looked like Roger Federer Light, using a lethal one-handed backhand and smashing serves north of 125 mph.
But Tiafoe strengthened in the second set and won an epic point on Dimitrov's serve. The rally featured so many wicked baseline blasts, the point concluded with a standing ovation from both the crowd and Tiafoe's teammates.
Those teammates also high-fived Tiafoe after he broke Dimitrov to even the second set at 4.4-
Yes, this is team tennis. The second Laver Cup pits the top Europeans against the rest of the world. Teammates sit on a C-shaped couch alongside the court. Captains Bjorn Borg (Europe) and John McEnroe (World) sit with the competing player during changeovers, of- fering advice.
There are NBA-style introductions before matches, and players wear shirts in the team colors — blue for Europe, red for World.
The umpire says, “Advantage, Europe,” rather than, “Advantage, Dimitrov.”
The court is black, a striking look that provides a nice contrast for viewers. It's a hard court, but the surface is relatively slow, promoting rallies.
Dimitrov came on strong at the end, closing out the match with an ace and hitting a ball into the crowd. The 6-1, 6-4 victory gave Europe one point.
Dimitrov thanked the crowd for coming, saying during an on-court interview: “This is amazing. Everything is so spectacular.”
And of Federer, whom the younger Europeans idolize: “This guy is actually cheering for me?”
The first team to 13 points wins, with Saturday's matches worth two and Sunday's worth three.
Friday's second match pits Jack Sock against Britain's Kyle Edmund. Sock found a surefire method to get the crowd on his side during warmups: Hewore a Bulls jersey (No. 18).
The United Center will then clear out, and fans can return before the 7 p.m. session, which features both singles and doubles.
And then comes the sight tennis fans have dreamed of: Federer and Novak Djokovic on the same side of the court, playing doubles together for the first time in their careers. The all-time greats (a combined 34 Grand Slam singles titles) will take on Sock and University of Illinois alumnus Kevin Anderson.
“I'm thrilled, excited,” Federer said. “We have had so many great battles in all the singles courts, and to finally team up together is going to be very special for both of us. We know it's going to be a tough one. Indoor doubles is always very hard to take charge and dominate, to be quite honest. I think it's all about intensity for us.”
Todd Martin, the Northwestern alumnus who rose to No. 4 in the world in singles and played doubles with Pete Sampras and James Blake, said Federer and Djokovic might not jell together. But still ...
“You have two of the best three players of the last 15 years on the court together,” Martin said. “And it's not an exhibition. They are two of the greediest human beings alive, meaning they don't like to lose. Of course they should win, but the game is not that easy and the transference from singles to doubles is not so simple.”