"Roger Federer starts Laver Cup and it becomes almost as exciting as a Grand Slam" - Alize Lim shares her love for the '5th Slam'

French tennis player Alize Lim has expressed her admiration for Roger Federer's success with the Laver Cup, referring to the event as the "fifth Slam." Established by the Swiss legend in 2017, the event features Team Europe battling out against Team World, in the same vein as the format of the Ryder Cup in golf.

This year's edition of the highly anticipated event is underway in Berlin, with the 20-time Grand Slam champion present to support Team Europe. The Laver Cup also holds a special meaning for Federer, as it marked the site of his retirement in 2022 while surrounded by his arch rivals Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

During a recent appearance on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, Alize Lim commended Roger Federer for the success of the Laver Cup, asserting that its atmosphere was nearly as exciting as that of a Grand Slam.

"What does Roger Federer not do well? He starts this event and it becomes even almost as exciting as a Grand Slam. I mean, I’m excited, it’s the fifth Slam now and I love it," Lim said.

Lim expressed her belief that players were likely clamoring to receive an invitation for the tournament, especially given its emotional significance as the site of the Swiss legend's retirement. She also disclosed that she had expected Rafael Nadal to follow in Federer's footsteps and end his career at the Laver Cup before he pulled out.

"I think, now they’re probably all hoping to be selected and it feels like it can be part of history but taking part in that tournament. Especially with what happened with Rafa and Roger when he pulled up also. I was almost thinking that Rafa would use the Laver Cup to maybe retire," she added.

The Frenchwoman further emphasized that Roger Federer's presence bolstered the excitement surrounding the event. Although Lim expressed her desire to see the 20-time Grand Slam champion dust off his racket for a doubles match at the Laver Cup, she admitted that it likely wouldn't materialize.

"It’s super exciting to see these matchups. I feel like the interest is growing every year. It’s so cool. And just the fact that Roger is going to show up, I’m so excited. I was hoping that he would play doubles but I don’t think that’s going to happen unfortunately," she said.

Roger Federer on Laver Cup: "There was a lot of uncertainty at the very beginning when we started... Were the players going to show up?"

The Swiss legend at Wimbledon (Source: Getty)

Although the Laver Cup enjoys overwhelming popularity at present, with top stars carving out time for it in their busy schedules, Roger Federer recently admitted that initially there was significant "uncertainty" about whether the concept would resonate with both fans and players.

"There was a lot of uncertainty at the very beginning when we started seven years ago. Was everything going to go according to plan? Were people going to show up? Did they like the product? Were the players going to show up? Being a player myself and also an organizer and trying to come up with a concept — it was quite the trip," he told the press at the 2024 Laver Cup.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion described the event as the union of a "brotherhood," likening it to the Ryder Cup in golf.

"It’s like a brotherhood getting together, paying tribute to the past generation, bringing in the new generation and then morphing it together Ryder Cup-style and coming up with a concept that would work throughout a weekend," he added.

Federer also shared his predictions for the event, asserting that Team Europe was "stacked" and would be the "heavy favorites" in the singles matches. However, Team World has defied the Swiss legend's expectations by securing crucial singles wins to claim an 8-4 lead heading into Day 3.