SEPT 25 - 27, 2026 | LONDON
London has always been home for Tim Henman. This September, it will also be his stage.
As Vice-Captain of Team Europe, Henman enters his second Laver Cup campaign with unfinished business, and this time the competition returns to The O2 in his hometown. After experiencing the event from the commentary box at Laver Cup London 2022, and then from the bench in San Francisco last year, Henman now understands exactly what it takes, and how little separates victory from defeat.
Few figures in British tennis command more respect. The former world No.4 reached four Wimbledon semifinals and became such a beloved figure that the grassy bank at SW19 was christened “Henman Hill” in his honor. Since retiring from the sport’s highest levels, he has transitioned seamlessly into broadcasting, building a reputation as one of the game’s sharpest analysts.
But stepping inside the ropes as part of Laver Cup’s leadership group was something entirely different, following in the footsteps of former Team Europe Vice Captain Thomas Enqvist, who stood with Captain Bjorn Borg for seven editions.
An experience like no other
Being immersed in the team environment alongside Captain Yannick Noah – the last Frenchman to win Roland Garros in 1983 – left a strong impression.
“His knowledge and experience from a tennis point of view was incredible,” says the Oxford-bred Henman. “The aura around him was amazing.”
San Francisco also offered Henman the opportunity to connect closely with Europe’s six-man roster: Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, Jakub Mensik, Holger Rune, and Flavio Cobolli.
“I loved that opportunity to get to know them,” Henman says. “The chemistry between both teams was very special. Just to see the intensity of competition but also the friendship, I think that’s very special.
“The way they practice, their work ethic, but also their camaraderie, was so much fun to be around. I guess that was 99% of it. The 1% would have been the result.”
That result still stings.
Team Europe entered the 2025 edition as favorites, holding a 5–2 head-to-head lead since the competition began in Prague in 2017. Yet Henman knew, from watching Team World claim their first title in London in 2022 under John and Patrick McEnroe, that momentum at the Laver Cup can shift quickly.
“I thought the quality of tennis was exceptional. The scoring system is so clever the way that the matches – as the weekend goes on – are worth more. That’s why it can change rapidly,” he remembers.
Momentum swings in San Francisco
San Francisco proved exactly that. Europe won three of four matches on Day 1, only to lose all four on Saturday in a stunning reversal.
“There would have been many tennis experts around the world who certainly wouldn’t have been able to call that,” declares Henman. “That just emphasizes how tight the competition is when you’ve got the best players playing against each other.
“It’s such fine margins. We weren’t able to grasp some of the opportunities, and those matches went against us. Going into Day 3, it is a new day, and you’ve got to have the belief that you can turn it around. We certainly got close to getting down to that final match of Zverev and Taylor Fritz going head-to-head.” Tim Henman
With Team World leading 12–9, Fritz delivered the decisive blow, defeating Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4) to seal the title.
“Taylor was up significantly in that match. But that was where I thought Sascha showed incredible spirit to keep fighting,” says Henman. “When you reflect on the three days as a whole, the way that Team World played, they deserved the victory,” he surmises.
“You’ve got to tip your cap and say, ‘Well done’. We gave it absolutely everything we had. In hindsight, we might have made a few different decisions, but when you boil it down and look at the performances throughout the weekend, that’s where Team World was able to come up with the goods. And that’s why they got the victory.”
Unpacking the loss
One area Henman and Noah have reflected on is doubles strategy – a critical component in a format where partnerships are not always well established. Not that their first instalment at the helm failed: Team Europe won two of the three doubles matches in San Francisco, both involving Alcaraz, who successfully partnered with Mensik on Friday and Ruud on Sunday.
“That’s where it’s not always easy because a lot of these guys don’t play doubles throughout the year, and so you don’t always have the opportunity to understand the combinations. Who’s going to gel and what’s going to work. On reflection, we might have made a few different pairings,” recalls Henman.
Towards The O2
Despite the disappointment, Henman’s enthusiasm for the competition has only grown.
“I absolutely love being a part of the Laver Cup and to experience the team environment, to be on the bench, to practice on the court and build that chemistry with the players. But at the end of the day, we lost.
“That adds fuel to the fire. It motivates Yannick and me to change the outcome in London because it was disappointing to come up short but we’re convinced London is going to be a different story.”
With Alcaraz and Zverev already confirmed for 2026, Henman says the months leading into the ninth edition of the competition will be spent scrutinizing Team Europe’s options.
“Yannick and I will be communicating a lot,” says Henman. “I’m sure there will be familiar faces, but I’d like to see a couple of others move up the rankings and force themselves into that conversation.”
For Henman, the return to The O2 is a second opportunity in front of a home crowd to apply the lessons of San Francisco.
“We go in with experience, knowledge, and probably a greater understanding of the event. And that’s what motivates us to have that different outcome in London.”
