Roger Federer Headlines Laver Cup’s San Francisco Opening Night

Tennis royalty descended upon San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on September 18, as the Laver Cup Opening Night brought together the sport’s greatest legends for an evening celebrating the unique team competition between Europe and the World. Twenty-time Grand Slam champion and Laver Cup co-founder Roger Federer joined Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, for whom the tournament is named, along with Team Europe Captain Yannick Noah and Team World Captain Andre Agassi for a black carpet celebration that perfectly captured the prestigious event’s blend of athletic excellence and entertainment spectacle.

The swanky evening, hosted by Melissa Stark with a performance by Rob Thomas, demonstrated the Laver Cup’s position as an official ATP Tour event where results count toward player records. The night’s festivities were supported by founding partner Rolex alongside global sponsors UBS, Mercedes-Benz and Alipay+. Team Europe Vice Captain Tim Henman and Team World Vice Captain Pat Rafter joined the celebration of this joint initiative between TEAM8, Tennis Australia, the USTA and Jorge Paulo Lemann, creating an atmosphere where tennis legends and fans alike could appreciate the sport’s evolution into compelling team competition. The Opening Night perfectly set the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable weekend of world-class tennis, where individual brilliance meets team strategy in San Francisco’s most anticipated sporting event of the year.