Team World joined the 2025 Laver Cup with Andre Agassi as the captain for the first time in San Francisco. The eight-time Grand Slam champion made an impressive debut, leading the team to victory against Team Europe despite major withdrawals.
One of the members of the 2025 Team World squad, Alex Michelsen, recently shared an incident that highlights the humorous side of players amid the tensions on the court.
What Did Alex Michelsen Say About Andre Agassi?
Team World reclaimed the Laver Cup by defeating Team Europe 15–9, marking a third overall title and a winning response after Europe’s 2024 triumph in Berlin. Along with Agassi, Pat Rafter debuted as the vice-captain of Team World, with Team Europe’s new captain, Yannick Noah.
The initial Team World announcements through the season featured Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Francisco Cerúndolo, and João Fonseca.
However, injuries forced late changes: Shelton and Paul withdrew and were replaced by Alex Michelsen and Reilly Opelka. Later, Tiafoe also withdrew, and Alex de Minaur joined as a replacement.
During his recent appearance on the “Nothing Major Show,” Michelsen shared a funny incident before he joined Team World. The podcast host, Sam Querrey, asked Michelsen whether Agassi called him after the withdrawals.
He replied, “Yeah. Well, I mean, not like right away, but we texted a little bit, and then he shot me a text.” The 21-year-old continued, “He’s like, ‘Dude, just call me whenever. And then I remember it was like 8:00 in the morning, and I was like, ‘If you’re up, you can call me.'”
Then came the part that made both Querrey and Steve Johnson burst into laughter. “And he calls me. He’s like, ‘Of course I’m up. I’m like 55. Of course, I’m up at 8:00 a.m.’ Like, funny. This is true. I mean, he’s hilarious, and he’s got one of a kind of tennis mind.”
That tone matched Agassi’s own reflections after the win, praising the group’s calm and belief and emphasizing listening over talking as captain.
Michelsen’s Crucial Contribution to Team World’s Win
On court, Michelsen made his Laver Cup debut and featured in four sessions. He fell to Jakub MenÅ¡Ãk 6–1, 6–7(3), [10–8] in Friday singles, a match Europe used to build an early lead. He then partnered Taylor Fritz in Friday doubles, losing to Carlos Alcaraz/Jakub MenÅ¡Ãk 7–6(7), 6–4 as Europe moved ahead 3–1.
MORE: Andre Agassi Remembers Laver Cup Triumph With Emotional 4-Word Message for Team World
Saturday brought a key swing: Michelsen paired with Alex de Minaur to defeat Holger Rune/Casper Ruud 6–3, 6–4, a result that pushed Team World to 9–3 after Day 2 and proved pivotal under the Laver Cup’s points‑escalation format.
On Sunday, he teamed with Opelka but lost to Alcaraz/Ruud 7–6(4), 6–1, before Fritz closed the weekend by beating Zverev to seal the title for Team World. Across the weekend, Michelsen finished 1–3 overall (0–1 singles, 1–2 doubles).
