Exclusive: Tennis’s Biggest Stars Make the Case for the Hyper-Neutral Suit

Skip to main contentBefore facing off in London, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, and a crew of court gods cleaned up nice in the season’s finest earth-toned tailoring.Team EuropeDan Martensen / Courtesy of Laver CupThe Grand Slam season is over, but this weekend will see some of tennis’s greatest talents square off in London for the ninth annual Laver Cup. Founded by Roger Federer as a tribute to the great Rod Laver, the tournament pits six top players from Europe against six from the rest of the world for bragging rights and a $1.5 million pot. (The event is sanctioned by men’s tennis’s governing body, the ATP Tour, but ranking points are not rewarded.) This year’s European squad includes Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Flavio Cobolli, while Team World’s lineup includes Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik, and Alex de Minaur.Taylor Fritz Dan Martensen / Courtesy of Laver CupAhead of the weekend’s hardcourt showdown, both teams assembled at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, where god-tier stylist and GQ legend Jim Moore decked them out for an editorial-style shoot in a selection of earth-toned tailoring from some of the world’s most auspicious brands and a grip of Oliver Peoples eyewear. “I always feel good in a suit,” said Cobolli, currently ranked seventh in the world, who appears in a grey pinstriped suit by Brunello Cucinelli over a buttoned-up white polo. “I always feel like a model. Maybe in another life, I’d be a model, because I like wearing different things. I love moda.”Taylor Fritz and Patrick Rafter Dan Martensen / Courtesy of Laver CupAlexander Zverev, Flavio Cobolli, and Casper Ruud Dan Martensen / Courtesy of Laver CupCarlos Alcaraz, whose string of on-court wins recently landed him on our list of the most stylish tennis players of all time, was equally enthusiastic about his stone-hued double-breasted suit from Louis Vuitton. “This is a world we don’t explore too much… And I love wearing suits. I like taking the time to do it properly, too. I’m trying to dress up as much as I can.”Team Europe Dan Martensen / Courtesy of Laver CupLearner Tien, the rising American star who now sits at number 13 in the ATP men’s singles ranking, joined Taylor Fritz and Rafael Jodar in BOSS, pairing his cream-colored suit with a pale crewneck tee. “I want to look good,” he said, “but I always lean towards comfort… I usually like a suit where I can breathe a little bit.”Team World Dan Martensen / Courtesy of Laver CupPhotographer Dan Martensen, who shot Josh O'Connor for his 2023 Challengers-themed GQ cover, was selected to capture the event. “For me, the aesthetic is always to keep things as natural as possible,” he said. “Tennis is very solitary, and when you shoot a tennis player with other tennis players—which I've never really done before today—you see they're actually yearning for the connection with each other and that they share a very specific bond.”Team World Dan Martensen / Courtesy of Laver CupPlayers from Team World and Team Europe Dan Martensen / Courtesy of Laver CupSign up for Show Notes to get news on the latest runway shows, parties, and insider events on the international fashion circuit.