The Laver Cup’s latest announcement suggests a potential format change could make sense

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The Laver Cup has become a fan-favorite event since its introduction to the tennis calendar in 2017.

Five months out from the 2025 Laver Cup, another player has announced their participation in the event, as three of the six spots on Team World have now been filled.

Tommy Paul will join Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton when Andre Agassi’s team takes to the court in San Francisco on September 19.

Eight-time Grand Slam champion Agassi was delighted to see Paul return to Team World.

“Tommy [Paul] is one of the most talented and dynamic players in the world and I know he will be a key member of our team,” he said.

“Alongside Taylor [Fritz] and Ben [Shelton], I am very pleased with the foundation of our lineup. We realize it will be a big challenge, but we are excited to embrace it.”

Paul’s inclusion does, however, highlight a pattern that has become very familiar at the Laver Cup, that could lead to a possible format change in the future.

Should the Laver Cup switch to a Team USA vs. Team Europe format?

The 2025 Team World Laver Cup squad will be comprised of at least three American players, just as it has in six of the previous seven tournaments.

Of the 18 players that have suited up for Team World, eight have been American, as the United States continues to have a strong presence at the tournament.

The lack of international players included in the event may beg the question of whether Team World should rebrand to Team USA.

After all, the Laver Cup is to some degree inspired by Golf’s Ryder Cup, where Team Europe and Team USA battle it out for the trophy.

If they were to rebrand, Team World or Team USA could round off their lineup with three top 40 American players: Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Korda, and Brandon Nakashima.

The change would, however, prevent the likes of Alex de Minaur from competing, who should qualify for the event thanks to his ranking.

• Three of the six players qualify based on their ATP singles ranking as of the Monday following the French Open in June

Several high-profile, non-American players could and perhaps should have played large roles at the tournament in years gone by, and it will certainly be interesting to see if Agassi looks to bring in talent from further afield in 2025.

Three non-American players who could make a big impact for Team World at the 2025 Laver Cup

Alex de Minaur – Australian

World number ten De Minaur would be a fantastic addition to Team World’s line-up, having developed into one of the best players on the ATP Tour recently.

De Minaur won his one singles match at the Laver Cup when he last appeared in 2022, taking down Andy Murray on Day one.

Fans in California would no doubt love to see the Aussie return to the competition in 2025 in search of a second win.

Joao Fonseca – Brazilian

18-year-old Joao Fonseca’s rise up the rankings may well be the story of 2025, with the Brazilian taking home his maiden ATP title in Argentina earlier this year.

Crowds around the world have been sent into a Fonseca frenzy, with his presence on the court creating atmosphere’s the sport hasn’t seen in many years.

Team World would embrace the Brazilian’s charisma and showmanship, just as much as they’d appreciate his immense talent.

It’s hard to imagine Agassi not sending a contract over to Fonseca for 2025, with the move seemingly making sense for both parties.

Kei Nishikori – Japanese

Japanese veteran Kei Nishikori has fought hard to return to the top 100, having struggled with injury in recent years.

No Asian player has appeared in the seven previous editions of the event, and someone of Nishikori’s experience would surely add great value to a squad full of young, vibrant players in 2025.

It remains to be seen who will join Team World in 2025, but Agassi definitely has some strong talent to choose from ahead of the Laver Cup, which begins on September 19.