Team World and Team Europe are currently battling it out in Berlin’s Uber Arena at the 2024 Laver Cup.
John McEnroe leads the former, with Bjorn Borg in charge of the other, with both captains stepping down after the event.
Ben Shelton praised McEnroe before the competition got underway, with the former one of three American stars in Team World.
Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz are also included, with McEnroe also relying on Francisco Cerundolo, Alejandro Tabila and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Borg does, however, have the stronger team on paper, with five of the six Team Europe players currently in the world top 10.
John McEnroe makes Thanasi Kokkinakis claim at the Laver Cup
A ‘really excited’ Carlos Alcaraz is at the Laver Cup, along with the likes of Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev.
But McEnroe believes he has an ace up his sleeve in the form of Kokkinakis, who at 78th is comfortably the lowest ranked player at this year’s Laver Cup.
“Thanasi Kokkinakis for example was a practice player the first years, and he’s a great kid, and he actually has a lot of ability,” McEnroe told Tennis Channel.
“He’s had some injury issues, but a match here, a match there, I think he can beat almost anyone, so I feel pretty good about that.”
No pressure on Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Laver Cup
Given that he is the lowest-ranked Laver Cup player by some margin, there is no pressure on Kokkinakis to perform.
He will, however, have grand plans to cause an upset or two, with the Australian certain to be gaining superb insight from McEnroe.
But the likes of Alcaraz, Zverev and Medvedev won’t make it easy for their opponents, with Borg likely to be confident of his chances of success given those star names.
READ MORE: Everything to know about the 2024 Laver Cup from prize money to players
The Swede has also called upon Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas as the captain looks to regain the trophy.
Borg guided Team Europe to four successive Laver Cup wins, but has been on the receiving end of defeats in the last two.
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