Borg and McEnroe continue epic rivalry at Laver Cup Vancouver 2023
Multi-session ticket packages go on sale Friday, March 3
One of the greatest rivalries in tennis history will continue later this year when Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe face each other across the net once again as captains of Team World and Team Europe at Laver Cup 2023 being held at Rogers Arena in Vancouver from September 22-24.
The pair, described by many as “Fire and Ice” due to their contrasting playing styles and temperaments, were fierce rivals in their playing days, competing a total of 14 times on the tour, winning seven matches apiece.
They have captained their respective Laver Cup teams through hotly contested battles since the inaugural event held in Prague in 2017, but until last year’s Laver Cup in London, Borg’s Team Europe was undefeated.
Borg led Team Europe to four consecutive Laver Cup victories in Prague, Chicago (2018), Geneva (2019) and Boston (2021), with McEnroe’s Team World winning the Laver Cup for the first time at London’s O2 arena in 2022, which he singles out as a career highlight.
“We’d come agonizingly close to victory over the years but could never quite get across the finish line. But we kept battling, we had great team spirit and it was just awesome when we won the Laver Cup last year in London,” the seven time Grand Slam singles champion McEnroe said.
“Bjorn’s a great friend of mine these days, but there was no way I was going to let him beat me five times in a row!”
Borg acknowledges that now that McEnroe has had a taste of Laver Cup victory it’s going to be a tough challenge for his team to win the title back, especially against Team World on home turf.
“It’s been a privilege to have been involved in the Laver Cup from the very start,” Borg said. “I’ve been lucky to have had such incredible champions play for Team Europe over the years and we’ve enjoyed a lot of success, but we’ll have a battle on our hands in Vancouver that’s for sure.”
The 20-time Grand Slam singles champion and co-founder of the Laver Cup, Roger Federer, is full of admiration for both captains.
“Bjorn and John have been amazing for the Laver Cup,” said Federer. “They are great team leaders, mentors, and ambassadors for the event. They fight hard but with huge respect for one another and the sport we all love. The Laver Cup could not have chosen better for our inaugural captains and I’m really looking forward to being in Vancouver in September to watch them and their teams go at it once again.”
Named in honor of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, winner of the calendar-year Grand Slam in 1962 and 1969, the Laver Cup pits six of the top men’s tennis players from Europe against six of their counterparts from the rest of the world.
The top three-ranked players for each team earn a guaranteed invitation based on their ATP singles ranking on the Monday after Wimbledon (July 17, 2023). The remaining three will be Captains’ picks and named before the start of the US Open.
Top-ranked Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime was the first player be named in McEnroe’s six-man team earlier this month as the event comes to Canada and the Northwest for the first time in September.
Multi-session ticket packages, providing the same seat for all five sessions, go on sale on Friday, March 3 at 10:00AM PST via Ticketmaster with prices starting at CAD$340 (excluding tax & fees). Single-session tickets will be available for purchase at a later date.
Fans are encouraged to register at lavercup.com for the latest ticket information and to access ticket pre-sales.