Better halves of Team World players light up Laver Cup after-party on the occasion of their maiden triumph
Team World recorded their maiden triumph at the Laver Cup, winning the 2022 edition in unexpected fashion. Coming into Day 3 of the tournament trailing 4-8, the team won their first three fixtures of the day to put an end to Europe's monopoly over the event.
First, Jack Sock teamed up with Felix Auger-Aliassime in doubles to beat Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini in a contest that went all the way. Auger-Aliassime then recorded one of the biggest victories of his career in singles, beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝟏𝐎𝐍𝐒 🏆
#TeamWorld clinch their first-ever #LaverCup title 🌍 💯
#SonyLIV https://t.co/moZw1uMTxn
Frances Tiafoe took on Stefanos Tsitsipas in a must-win match for the European contingent after that. The American came back from a set down, saving four match points along the way, to beat Tsitsipas in the match tie-breaker.
On top of the world.
#LaverCup https://t.co/WJUvAdbyq0
With this being the first time Team World has beaten their European counterparts in five attempts, the after-party was understandably lit. And it was made all the more glamorous by the presence of their better halves.
Eugenia De Martino, Schwartzman's girlfriend, took to Instagram to share moments from the after-party, which included some hilarious photos and videos. Jack Sock, Team World's wrecker-in-chief, broke out the dance moves alongside his wife Laura Little, and he was soon joined by Diego Schwartzman and Tiafoe.
Morgan Riddle, Taylor Fritz's girlfriend, also shared a few videos from the night, including one of the World No. 12 chugging champagne straight from the trophy. Fritz also shared the full video of the "champagne shower" on his personal Instagram account, where the entire team - including captain John McEnroe - took turns drinking champagne out of the Laver Cup trophy.
Finally, the wives and girlfriends all got together for one last commemorative photo. Tiafoe's girlfriend and former NCAA champion Ayan Bloomfield, De Minaur's girlfriend/WTA star Katie Boulter and Auger-Aliassime's girlfriend Nina Ghaibi joined the others.
"People saw how successful the Laver Cup was when it first was started and they are starting to realize that we need to do more of these" - Team World's John McEnroe
Speaking at their press conference after winning the 2022 Laver Cup, Team World's captain John McEnroe expressed hope that tennis would learn from the massive success the event has had and try to experiment with new formats in the future.
"I think what happened was is people saw how successful the Laver Cup was when it first was started, and subsequently they are starting to realize that we need to do more of these," McEnroe said. "So that's why you saw the thing before Australia and we fit in Davis Cup. Right now I don't know what the hell is going on with Davis Cup either."
🏆 We are the WORLD 🌏
What it means to win a first #LaverCup title together. https://t.co/ljxbljkuxh
While the American is not sure if the Laver Cup is here to stay, he is of the opinion that the format was unique. McEnroe even went so far as to say that it was the best team event he had been a part of, which is saying something considering he participated in the Davis Cup for more than a decade.
"To me, this is the best one of them all. I've got to be honest. Anyone that knows me knows that I played Davis Cup for 15 years," McEnroe said. "So we'll see what happens in the future. I don't know."