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Wednesday 4 March 2020
McEnroe not counting out Federer out after latest surgery

By KYLE HIGHTOWER how in the world are these majors post-surgery. So you
BOSTON (AP) — Hall of Fam- guys still playing at such a never can count him out."
er John McEnroe doesn't high level? Federer, whose TEAM8
think tennis has seen the "I've admired watching management company
last of Roger Federer play- Tom Brady because he helped create the Laver
ing at an elite level follow- makes players around him Cup, has played in each of
ing the 38-year-old's recent better. But you're out there the first three editions of the
knee surgery. on your own and you're 38 event, which pits a six-man
Federer announced last and you could be turning team from Europe against
month that he will miss the 39 on a tennis court with a team made up of players
French Open and at least the wear and tear. That's from the rest of the world.
three other tournaments really tough. … It's already McEnroe and his former
while he recuperates. Fe- amazing he's made it this rival Bjorn Borg served as
derer indicated he would far." captains of Team World
return by Wimbledon in late McEnroe was coaching and Team Europe, respec-
June. Milos Raonic in 2016 when tively, for the first three
The Swiss star has spent he beat Federer at Wimble- events in Prague (2017),
more weeks ranked No. 1 don, the only time Raonic Chicago (2018) and Gene-
than any player and owns has beaten him in a major. va (2019) — all won by the
a men's record 20 Grand "Then Roger limped off the European team.
Slam titles. He currently is court and didn't play for six They will reprise those roles
ranked No. 4 behind Novak months. And I thought, you for the fourth edition in Bos-
Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and know, that's pretty much ton from Sept. 25-27, which
Dominic Thiem. it," McEnroe said. "That's has been added to the of-
McEnroe was in Boston John McEnroe, Captain of Team World for the Laver Cup, trades four years ago. And he ficial ATP calendar.
jerseys with Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward before a
Tuesday promoting the game against the Brooklyn Nets, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Bos- came back after not hav- McEnroe said his latest
fourth edition of the Laver ton. ing played for six months meetings with Borg as
Cup, which will be held at Associated Press and managed to win the coaches have been as in-
TD Garden in September. Australian Open (the next) tense as they were when
He said watching Federer "It's like asking the same "I mean, how they keep year, winning three best-of- they were tour players.
competing at age 38 has question on Tom Brady. doing it would be the first five set matches, which is "There's a lot of a lot of
parallels to another domi- You know, it's the exact thing at their age. It's phe- virtually unheard of to be- money at stake and pride,"
nant athlete in Boston. same thing," McEnroe said. nomenal, right? I mean, gin with, and to win three McEnroe said.q
Continued from page 18 in Ireland, and during the ers. But the European Tour
"Bad grammar," Azinger winner's news conference, is nowhere close to the
said Monday. "If I had said Sergio Garcia said the re- PGA Tour in depth of fields,
'the' European Tour, the sult hopefully would keep amount of ranking points,
whole thing would have Europeans from being television exposure and
been different." asked if the Nationwide most of all, money. The
Maybe. Tour was the second-best total purse at the Qatar
Either way, that was his tour in the world. Masters this week is $1.75
lone regret. "Behind Europe," Luke Don- million. The winner of the
"I've said this a million times, ald added. Arnold Palmer Invitational
and it's how I changed the Ouch. gets $1,674,000.
selection process for the That's a big reason why Eu- That explains why 43 of the
Ryder Cup," said Azinger, rope leans so heavily on top 50 in the world play
the winning captain in the Ryder Cup outcome. a full PGA Tour schedule.
2008. "The only thing pros It's the one time Europe Most of the other seven
choke for are cash and Tommy Fleetwood of England hits from the third tee during the can prove it stands on would join if they had the
prestige. And the PGA Tour fourth round of the Honda Classic golf tournament, Sunday, equal footing. But that's a chance. To beat the best
has the most of both." March 1, 2020, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. fallacy. in golf means coming
Lee Westwood was among Associated Press Europe has great players, to America — not every
those offended, saying on 10 of whom have com- week, but most weeks.
Twitter the comment was "Bring on September!" ing for chips to put on their bined to win 14 majors There is prestige. There is
condescending to the tour The Ryder Cup is Sept. 25- shoulders, Azinger provid- in the last decade. All of cash. The PGA Tour has the
he plays and "disrespects 27. ed one. those major champions most of both.
the tournaments you've Criticism is found easily by It was reminiscent of 2006, play on the PGA Tour on a Fleetwood will get another
won around the world." anyone on a mission to find when the Europeans were regular basis, and some of chance. Or maybe the
Thomas Bjorn, the win- mistakes, and this squab- going for a third straight them live in America. opportunity this week will
ning Ryder Cup captain ble will pass until the next Ryder Cup and had a su- Westwood isn't on that list, fall to Rafa Cabrera Bello,
in France, said in a tweet time Fleetwood or any oth- perior team. No matter. Pri- but with 41 wins around the Tyrrell Hatton or Matt Wal-
that Azinger easily could er European Tour member vately, they were seething world across four decades, lace. And maybe Azinger
have said Fleetwood had is in the hunt for his first PGA over comments from sec- his record speaks for itself. will not sound as dismissive
won around the world, is Tour title. ond-tier American players Azinger was bothered only about the tour where they
a world-class player and But it won't be forgotten in who promoted the mes- by the notion that West- have won tournaments.
"now the time has come September. sage that the Nationwide wood took his comments If not soon, the Europeans
for him to prove that on the It's not as though Europe Tour was the second-best as being disrespectful of will have a say in Septem-
strongest tour in the world." needs any motivation in tour in golf. his career. ber. There is no cash to be
"He was at best ignorant, the Ryder Cup, having Now that was offensive. "I would never do that," Az- won at the Ryder Cup, only
at worst arrogant in deliv- won eight of the last 11. But Europe demolished the inger said. prestige. For Europe, the
ering that," Bjorn added. if the Europeans are look- Americans at The K Club Yes, Europe has great play- latter will go a long way.q