John McEnroe: Team World won't be 'villains' if they spoil Roger Federer farewell with Laver Cup victory

John McEnroe has insisted that Team World won't be «villains» if they spoil Roger Federer's farewell with victory at the Laver Cup. Federer, who has announced he will retire after the event, will play alongside long-time rival Rafael Nadal against McEnroe's chosen pairing of Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock on the opening day of action in London. Ad The doubles encounter will be the 41-year-old's final professional tennis match as he prepares to call time on his career.

Laver CupExclusive: Nadal ready for 'very sad' but 'unforgettable' final match with FedererAN HOUR AGO Describing it as an «incredible moment», McEnroe, captain of Team World, is sure that it matters not if Federer wins his final match or not, urging his charges to play naturally as Team World seek a first Laver Cup victory. «First of all, I just want to say that these guys aren't villains,» McEnroe said of Sock and Tiafoe. «I earned that reputation.

That's unfair to them. »They are opponents to, you know, a very unique situation that we are all fortunate enough to be around. Obviously this is not another match.

This is an incredible moment for our sport. «The good news is that if they win, they are not going to be villains either. This is about the celebration of what Roger has accomplished and him ending it and hopefully not hurting himself, is what I'm thinking.

»So whether he wins or loses I believe is beyond the point. So that opens the door beautifully for us to go do our thing." The highly-anticipated doubles encounter closes the opening day of competition at the O2 Arena. Sock faces Team Europe's Casper Ruud earlier on Friday, with Diego Schwartzman's encounter with Stefanos Tsitsipas forming the second half of the day session, before Andy Murray and