The Swedish legend faces his final adventure as captain of #TeamEurope in the Laver Cup: “These seven years have been the best, but a change is needed“.

Week of Laver Cup in Berlin, seventh edition of one of the tournaments that has needed the least time to establish itself in the calendar and win the affection of the people. A simple mission when the lineup includes pieces like Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, John McEnroe, or Björn Borg. These last two, by the way, will bid farewell this weekend after seven years of captaincy in their respective teams, a goodbye that surely touches our emotions. The Swede recently spoke with Tennis Magazin to analyze how this journey has been, using this interview to recall the best moments, say goodbye to the format, and wish the event the best of luck for the future.

Assessment of his captaincy in the #TeamEurope

“These have been the best seven years for me; the Laver Cup has always been the most important week of the year for me. I had the opportunity to spend time with the best players in the world, enjoying great competition where everyone wanted to win. It has been a fantastic period, so I am very proud and happy to have been the captain of this team. I can only wish them the best for the future and good luck to my successor. I definitely had a lot of fun all these years.”

Why is he stepping down?

“I did the same job for these seven years, so some new faces could be good for the tournament, now is the right time. Both John (McEnroe) and I did a great job, or at least I believe so, I also speak for him. I can’t imagine a better successor than my good friend Yannick (Noah) for this role; he is a great champion and an even better person. I am sure he will enjoy being part of this event as much as I did.”

Who will win the trophy in Berlin?

“If I start participating in a competition, I hate to lose. I’m not just talking about tennis; the same goes for darts, snooker, or any discipline that comes along. It doesn’t matter if I’m sitting on the bench or standing on the court; the same goes for John (McEnroe). We’ll see who triumphs in this upcoming final.”

Absence of Nadal, a long-standing friendship

“At first, everyone is reserved, especially off the court. Then, on the court, the players know what to do, they have great self-confidence, but sometimes outside the court, they’re not so sure how to behave. Rafa has a wonderful personality; he is one of my favorite players.

I have been watching him for so many years in so many matches… it has been a pleasure having him in the #TeamEurope of this Laver Cup for several years. I remember that at the time many said that no one would break my record in Roland Garros, but I always knew that records are meant to be broken; that’s how sports are. We will never see another player as good on clay as him.”

Bond with his players

“Every dinner we had with the #TeamEurope was great; I just love exchanging ideas with some of the best players in the world. When Rafa and the other guys share their stories within the tennis world, it’s something wonderful. They always ask me about stories from my time, so the feeling with them is always very pleasant. Rafa is a big-hearted person; he gives a lot to people. All the kids at his Academy adore him because he loves spending time with them.”

Farewell of Federer, a unique moment

“We all knew that Roger was going to end his career, although I was very surprised to see Rafa cry so much beside him. At that moment, I really thought: Will Rafa keep playing? The fact that he cried shows how much Roger has meant to him; they have shared some great matches, giving us incredible tennis. Rafa was sad about saying goodbye to a friend and rival leaving the tour; it also showed well who Rafa is. I feel sorry for both because we lose a great rivalry, but it was still a nice moment to see, also very emotional for me.”