Pat Rafter replaces Patrick McEnroe as vice captain of Team World for Laver Cup

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Two-time U.S. Open champion Pat Rafter will take over from Patrick McEnroe as vice-captain of Team World for the 2025 Laver Cup.

The appointment was confirmed Sunday at a news conference during the Australian Open and will see Rafter support captain Andre Agassi at the event in San Francisco in September.

"It's an honor to take on this role," said former No. 1-ranked Rafter, an Australian who won successive U.S. Opens in 1997-98 and was also a Wimbledon finalist. "The Laver Cup is a phenomenal event, and being part of something that honors Rod Laver and past generations of tennis is very special to me."

Two-time US Open champion Pat Rafter has accepted Andre Agassi’s invitation to become Team World’s Vice Captain.

The Australian former World No. 1 is excited to be back on the court, “When Andre asked me to be part of it, it’s sort of a no brainer. I’d love to be part of it.”… pic.twitter.com/5JJtuvuxCv
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) January 19, 2025

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Patrick McEnroe, who served as vice-captain under his brother John McEnroe and has been involved since the inaugural tournament in 2017, expressed confidence in Rafter.

"He's a Hall of Famer and one of the classiest guys in tennis," McEnroe said. "This is a big step up for the team."

The Laver Cup was inspired by Rod Laver's legacy of winning the Grand Slam of all four tennis majors in a calendar year. The main stadium at the Australian Open is also named in his honor.