The prospect of the Laver Cup potentially moving to Saudi Arabia is an idea that will be discussed in future years, according to one of the co-founders, Tony Godsick.
Godsick is a titan within the agency business and has represented Swiss tennis great Roger Federer since 2005. He has been a tennis agent for close to three decades, initially at IMG and currently at Team8 Sports and Entertainment - an agency he helped co-found with Roger Federer in 2013.
The pair have taken the business partnership to new levels each year. With Godsick's sharp mind, Federer has elevated his off-court status to heights never seen within the tennis landscape. The 20-time Grand Slam champion fostered multi-million dollar sponsorship agreements in his playing career.
Federer has still maintained his ostentatious brand at the top level among the highest-earning athletes. For instance, he was ranked in the Top 10 on Forbes's list in the past year.
Federer and Godsick united to form the Laver Cup back in 2017, a tournament pitting ATP stars from the European continent (Team Europe) and those from the rest of the world (Team World) battling across three days.
The tournament has been a massive success, backed by the ATP and the world's top stars. The fact that Federer gave it his blessing is probably an understatement, with tickets almost invariably selling at full capacity every year.
Godisck, whom Federer referred to in 2021 as a man who "thinks outside the box," is already eyeing a possible staging of the Laver Cup in Saudi Arabia. The oil-rich Gulf kingdom has emerged as the new frontier of tennis, having held the Next Gen ATP Finals last year.
Saudi Arabia also announced that it will host a "6 Kings Slam" exhibition later this year, inviting players such as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Carlos Alcaraz to compete for the largest paycheck in tennis history.
Godisck is certainly keen on the idea of putting the Laver Cup on the Saudi map and told Tages-Anzeiger that it will be on the agenda in future meetings. He also believes sports can help instill change irrespective of Saudi Arabia coming under criticism for "sportswashing."
"One day the Laver Cup could be in Saudi Arabia. We rotate between European cities and cities in the rest of the world. I expect Saudi Arabia will be part of this discussion at some point in the future. Sport is a language that everyone speaks. Sport can enable dialogue and change."
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