Team Europe celebrates its big win at the 2024 Laver Cup in Berlin

Laver Cup: 3 Ways Roger Federer's Event Resembles College Tennis

At the 2024 Laver Cup, the Roger Federer inspired pro team tennis event, Team Europe ended a two-year losing streak to beat Team World 13-11.

Tennis has long had passionate team tennis events, with Davis Cup dating back to 1900. Now the pro tennis calendar features three team events, as United Cup kicks off the pro tennis season.

But Laver Cup, which concluded its seventh edition (Europe leads 5-2), seems to have carved out a niche with passion that resembles college tennis.

UTR Sports, which has long elevated college tennis, shares three ways Laver Cup resembles college tennis.

WATCH: How UTR Sports is Elevating College Tennis

1. Players bring incredible passion to Laver Cup and college tennis.

Tennis fans across the country see this type of unmatched energy on a regular basis at college campuses.

“I don't think you're going to get in any other level of tennis, you're going to get the energy that college tennis brings,” said Jackson Caldwell (11.51), who played for Northwestern University at the 2024 UTR Sports NIT Championship.

Lucia Malinak played for Wyoming University at the 2023 and 2024 NIT Championship.

“People should watch college tennis because I feel like we are competing on a different level. We are fighting for every ball. It's just not the playing individual. It's just playing for each other, for the whole team, for the university. And it's something bigger than just us.”

WATCH: Relive the Action from 2024 UTR Sports NIT Championship

That type of passion was on display at Laver Cup in Berlin, as players leaped off their benches to cheer on their teammates.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz (UTR Rating 15.95) never played college tennis. But the 21-year-old felt that kind of energy while competing for Team Europe.

“With the team, I mean, it was a different feeling that I loved,” he said. “I loved these feelings, all the players in the bench supporting us, really pumped up.”

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning a big point at 2024 Laver Cup

2. Players compete in doubles and singles on the same day.

American Ben Shelton (15.38) is familiar with playing doubles and singles on the same day.

Shelton was the 2022 NCAA men’s singles champion and frequently played both varieties of tennis throughout his decorated collegiate career at the University of Florida.

On Saturday during Laver Cup, Shelton, who competed on the UTR Pro Tennis Tour in 2021, again had to do double duty.

Photo of Ben Shelton celebrating a big point at 2023 US Open

He fell 6-4, 6-4 to Alcaraz in the day session but came back on court with Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo (15.48) in the evening session to compete in doubles.

“I'm used to it. I have been used to it for two years when I was in college,” Shelton said of playing doubles and singles on the same day. “Playing for the team, I have a lot of energy. I really enjoy competing in this atmosphere. I didn't think that it was really an option to get tired or be tired out there.”

Shelton/Tabilo beat Casper Ruud (15.63) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (15.62) 6-1, 6-2 to give Team World a seemingly comfortable 8-4 advantage heading into the final day of play.

3. In college tennis and at Laver Cup, things can change quickly.

In college tennis, a team can be down 0-3 and be serving for the match on one singles court. But the other team could also be moments away from tying the meet by winning three other singles matches concurrently.

In short, college tennis dual meets can change quickly.

“You can see the momentum shifting… One court wins, the other court wins, the whole match changes,” said Aitor Reparaz, men’s tennis coach at the University of North Alabama.

Liberty men's tennis players celebrate their Universal Tennis NIT Championship at the inaugural college tennis championship hosted by Universal Tennis

Momentum also shifted quickly at the 2024 Laver Cup. Team World entered the final day leading 8-4. But Team Europe won the opening doubles match to make it 8-7.

Shelton dismissed 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev (15.74) 6-7(6), 7-5, 10-7 to put Team World back on top in the team score, 11-8, and within clinching distance of reaching 13 team points.

But Team Europe rallied to win the next two singles matches: Alexander Zverev (15.84) beat Frances Tiafoe (15.49) and Alcaraz denied 2024 US Open finalist Taylor Fritz.

“We battled as hard as we possibly could. We could taste it. Unfortunately, didn't happen,” said John McEnroe, Team World captain. “But, you know, we put ourselves in a position to do it, and that's amazing. It was incredible atmosphere, incredible energy from our team. All our guys played well.”

During the event, Federer spoke about the magic of the team event he created to honor tennis legend Rod Laver.

“When you show up from the first moment till the last, you want the experience to be one that's fantastic. You actually wish that the Laver Cup was for a longer period of time or more often during the year," Federer said.

Don’t worry, Roger. If you’re looking for unmatched passion, college tennis has you covered all year.

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