Roger Federer torn to bits over Laver Cup as selection conspiracy theory raised

Team Europe celebrated success at the seventh annual Laver Cup in Berlin, a tournament co-created by tennis legend Roger Federer and his agent Tony Godsick, as the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev triumphed over their Team World opposition.

The tournament is where Federer played his emotional final tennis match alongside Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Neither of the four competed this year, with Federer and Murray already out of the sport. But despite world No. 1 Jannik Sinner's absence, the Laver Cup has still been able to attract some big names even though no ranking points are on offer.

However, Julien Benneteau has raised a theory that reflects poorly on the event's organisers as the former world No. 5 claimed that the reason why some players are picked over others is not down to talent - but which talent agency they are represented by.

"There is no emotion," Benneteau told the Grandes Gueules du Sport podcast. "When you win even an ATP 250, there is a sporting value. The Laver Cup has no sporting value because the selection is done at the whim of Federer and Godsick, there is no sporting criteria.

"The Ryder Cup, there are six players qualified thanks to their results and six others chosen by their captain. But these are sporting choices, not according to who you are represented on the ATP circuit, by which agency you are managed. [Alejandro] Tabilo in the world selection, is he the best? There is no sporting criteria.

"[Frances] Tiafoe and [Taylor] Fritz are not going to play the Davis Cup in China because there is no money but they are going to play the Laver Cup because they are taking a huge cheque. The players are only participating because the cheque is huge."

The victors, this year Team Europe, banked £186,000 while Team Europe came away with £93,000 in the German capital.

The Laver Cup have explained how their teams are selected, stating: "The top three-ranked players for each team earn a guaranteed invitation based on their ATP singles ranking on the Monday after Roland-Garros. The remaining three players will be 'captain's picks' and named any time before the start of the US Open.

"If any players are announced prior to Roland-Garros, the respective team captain is committing to using a captain's pick on any or all of them if they do not qualify based on ranking."

John McEnroe of Team World and Bjorn Borg of Team Europe picked three players each as captains, but have relinquished their roles and from 2025 - in San Francisco - they will be replaced by Andre Agassi (Team World) and Yannick Noah (Team Europe).