Roger Federer, the world’s top-ranked tennis player, ​​​​visits Chicago for the first time to help kick off the countdown to September’s Laver Cup.
Organizers spent Monday morning setting up a tennis court next to Millennium Park’s Cloud Gate sculpture as part of an afternoon opening ceremony scheduled to begin after 1:15 p.m..
To promote the Laver Cup, Federer will be joined by Australian and world No. 20 Nick Kyrgios, American great John McEnroe and Rod Laver, the tournament’s namesake and Australian legend who is only man to have won two calendar-year Grand Slams.
The Laver Cup, an all-star tennis tournament similar to golf’s Ryder Cup, will take place Sept. 21-23 at the United Center. For the second year, John McEnroe will serve as captain of Team World and Team Europe’s captain will be Björn Borg.
In September, Federer rallied against Kyrgios two win the inaugural title for Team Europe in Prague.
plthompson@chicagotribune.com
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