By TennisUpToDate.com

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The eighth edition of the Laver Cup begins in San Francisco with a distinctly new flavour. For the first time, the event will be led by two new captains: Andre Agassi for Team World and Yannick Noah for Team Europe. As co-founder of the competition, Roger Federer is keenly aware of the shift, admitting that this year’s atmosphere will not be the same as in the past.

“I think it’s going to feel quite different, actually, because I think they are both extremely thoughtful, Andre and Yannick,” Federer said. “I have really high respect for both guys, you know, obviously for what they accomplished on the court, but also off the court. Now, unfortunately, you know, there is a change, you know, for Björn and John, but I think that Andre and Yannick are going to be incredible.”

The Swiss legend noted that Agassi and Noah will not be working alone, as both will be supported by experienced vice-captains. “And they have fantastic captains as well in Pat Rafter and Tim Henman,” Federer added. “So I’m really excited to see how it’s going to go.” For a tournament built on the chemistry between legends, this year promises a fascinating mix of personalities and leadership styles.

The Laver Cup also arrives at a time when tennis itself seems to be undergoing a generational shift. Federer explained that the French Open was already a turning point: “I think the French Open for me was a little bit that match, you know, that the game needed to really sort of move on as well from the post Roger, Rafa, Serena time as well to truly embrace this rivalry and this incredible shot-making that Carlos and Jannik have right now. And Novak’s right there as well. I think he played four semis this year in all four majors, which is incredible.”

The Fedal Tour dream

When pressed on whether he would ever consider starting a senior tour with Rafael Nadal, Federer’s answer was immediate. “Yeah. Why not? I mean, I love Rafa,” he said. The 20-time Grand Slam champion revealed that he has been training consistently, adding: “I played four hours of tennis the other day in L.A. and or here in San Francisco, sorry. And then in L.A. also another hour and a half. So and then before that, I’ve been playing a lot. So I’m trying to keep in good shape.”

The idea of teaming with Nadal still appeals to him, even if the label does not. “And I know that Rafa is also totally open to maybe play some tennis. It sounds terrible, seniors tennis to us, you know, but maybe we can create a tour like a Fedal Tour or something like that. I mean, it’d be cool.” Federer connected the concept directly to his motivations for launching the Laver Cup. “I think that’s also some one of the things, actually, one of the reasons I did start the Laver Cup is, you know, to shine a light on the past, the past greats of the game and maybe a senior story.”

For Federer, history is proof of demand. “We’ve had it a little bit of it’s obviously in tennis. I think it was called the Champions Tour at the time. It did exist. But I think there is a lot of appetite for seeing past champions in tennis as well. So I could maybe look into that as well as Rafa for sure.”

Honouring the past, embracing the future

Federer’s comments on Nadal struck a chord precisely because they link nostalgia with innovation, the same formula that has powered the Laver Cup from the beginning. As Tony Godsick, his long-time business partner, explained: “We were a historical event with no history. So we needed some of these incredible brands like Rolex and Mercedes to get us started. Now, you know, we have 22 sponsors. We started with six in year one, and now we have 22 sponsors.”

That growth now includes the tournament’s newest partner, Perplexity, which will use artificial intelligence to provide insights to coaches, players, and fans. The mix of legendary figures, new technology, and fresh rivalries makes the Laver Cup 2025 feel like more than just another stop on the tennis calendar. For Federer, whether it’s innovation on court, success off it, or perhaps even a Fedal Tour with Nadal, the story of tennis is far from finished.