Happy Friday. Believe in the Good Thing.

by @ratloff

Listen, 2020 has been a butt year. Amid the many civilization-scale crises that I won’t trivialize by mentioning in this dumb blog, canceling the Laver Cup, originally set to begin in Boston today, is an acceptable and prudent sacrifice. The fourth Laver Cup will wait until 2021; that would be just fine even if it wasn’t bounced to make room for a bizarro French Open that will be staged primarily in … October. Weird stuff!

Fortunately for us, what the first three Laver Cup installments lacked in competitive pop -- Team Europe has thrice waxed Team World, and it’s hard to imagine that ever changing -- they made up for with viral tennis moments that only a fan-servicey weekend exhibition could produce. Fed and Nadal played doubles together in 2017 (they won). Djoker and Fed paired up in 2018 (they lost). Federer has played Nick Kyrgios in each of the first three Cups (3-0, Fed), including a spicy 2019 showdown in which Roger at times struggled to mask his contempt for Kyrgio’s clownsmanship.

But last year’s Laver Cup also featured something we could all use in this decidedly ass trip around the sun: a lesson in positive thinking. Here’s Fabio Fognini, looking relatably aggrieved and dejected while struggling through a singles match against noted doubles guy Jack Sock, getting some free therapy from Team Europe comrades Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. No more negativity, Federer says. Believe in the good thing. Believe in the good thing. 

Fognini lost in straight sets. Anyhow happy Friday bless you all see you next time!