Former French Open champion slams Roger Federer and the Laver Cup as valueless

The yearly Laver Cup might not give players ranking points, but the event does pay players well. Each player on the winning team - either Team World or Team Europe - earns $250,000. Each player on the losing team makes $125,000. In other words, the event makes players richer.

The tournament also is popular with fans as the venues are constantly sold out. Roger Federer and Tony Godsick keep a rotating schedule of cities so fans do not get bored with the idea of the Laver Cup being held at the same spot every year, and the two also handpick the players who will participate at the event.

This does differ from golf's Ryder Cup because the players there have to be ranked well to be able to play. The Laver Cup is somewhat sold as tennis's answer to the Ryder Cup but it isn't truly and that is OK. Players and fans don't complain and Federer is an excellent salesman for the sport.

Former French Open champion blasts Roger Federer and the Laver Cup

Former French Open doubles champion Julien Benneteau has an issue with the event, though. Speaking on the Grandes Gueules du Sport podcast, Benneteau, who is now the captain of France's Billie Jean King Cup, says he thinks the Laver Cup is nothing more than a money grab for players and has no real sporting value.

He said, "The Laver Cup has no sporting value because the selection is done at the whim of Federer and (Tony) Godsick, there is no sporting criteria. The Ryder Cup, there are six players qualified thanks to their results and six others chosen by their captain. But these are sporting choices...(Frances) Tiafoe and (Taylor) Fritz are not going to play the Davis Cup in China because there is no money but they are going to play the Laver Cup because they are taking a huge (paycheck). The players are only participating because the check is huge."

To be fair to Federer and the Laver Cup, players only play tennis professionally because they hope to earn a good living. Part of Benneteau's argument was that there was no emotion involved in Federer's event but that is untrue. One can watch the tournament and see how much players are emotionally invested.

Maybe passing over the Davis Cup for the Laver Cup isn't right, but that is also a player's personal choice. And if the money is good, why blame the players for wanting to participate at the Laver Cup?

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