Laver Cup - Dimitrov replaces Nadal, Team Europe more favourite than ever!

You'd have thought that Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from the tournament would redress the balance between the European and World teams for the next Laver Cup (September 20-22).

In the end, that's not really what's going to happen, and Team Europe may even emerge stronger, or at least not weaker.

Providing further proof of his network of acquaintances, Roger Federer wasted no time in finding a replacement for Rafael Nadal in the person of Grigor Dimitrov, ranked 10th in the world.

While there's no substitute for Rafael Nadal, this reinforcement is likely to limit criticism from those who already have a ticket.

What's more, given his current level of play, the Bulgarian could be a decisive asset for the Europeans.

More than ever, the Laver Cup looks set to go to the Europeans, whose lowest-ranked player will be Tsitsipas, ranked 12th in the world.