Tennis news: Fans divided after Alex de Minaur joins Alexander Zverev in massive announcement

Tennis fans have had a surprisingly mixed reaction after Alex de Minaur and Alexander Zverev announced their participation in the 2026 edition of the Laver Cup. On Thursday, de Minaur and Zverev confirmed they'll be playing for Team World and Team Europe respectively in the ninth edition of the event in September.

De Minaur was part of the World team that won the Laver Cup last year in San Francisco, and is keen to go around again for the third time. He helped Team World get their first win in the event when it was held in London in 2022.

"Laver Cup is one of the most intense and exciting weeks on the calendar," said the Aussie star. "Playing in London in 2022 was a special moment for our team and San Francisco showed what this group is capable of. I loved playing under (coach) Andre Agassi last year and I’m really looking forward to getting back out there in London with him and the team."

Zverev has played the Laver Cup six times previously and is the all-time leading point-scorer in the event. "I always love being part of the Laver Cup," said the German. "The team atmosphere is incredible, and the intensity is unlike anything else we play all year.

"London is a great tennis city and The O2 (Arena) is one of the most special stadiums in the world for me and has already delivered some unforgettable moments for this event. I'm excited to return and hopefully we can win the title back for Team Europe."

Tennis fans react to Alex de Minaur announcement

De Minaur and Zverev join Carlos Alcaraz (Europe) and Taylor Fritz (World) in singing up to play. But some are questioning whether it's the right move to prioritise the Laver Cup considering how jam-packed the ATP schedule has become.

It's a slightly galling decision from de Minaur considering he opted out of playing Davis Cup for Australia this month in favour of chasing rankings points at the ATP event in Rotterdam. De Minaur won the title to climb back up to World No.6, but Australia lost to Colombia and will now have to re-qualify for the Davis Cup world group.

One person wrote on social media: "Such a nonsense and useless event to be honest." Others suggested the Laver Cup has lost relevance since Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray retired, as they always made the event so special. However others expressed their excitement at seeing de Minaur, Zverev and the top stars all come together for the unique event.

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