It was Alexander Zverev who sealed the Laver Cup, beating Learner Tien, to hand Team Europe the trophy for the ninth edition. Flavio Cobolli then stepped up to the BBC Sport microphone, after the trophy presentation, with a humorous story about social media.
Cobolli had noticed that Alcaraz liked one of his Instagram posts from 2017. “I hope he didn’t like it because of my mother, I hope it was for me,” he said.
Céline, our club player, read about it on Monday, between two passes through her stats folder.
Technically, that’s a pattern I know well. You post, you wait, and the validation arrives years later. I’ve got a photo from 2016, my down-the-line forehand on court 4, under the neon light. Perfect intentions. Still no like from the club. The level in club league (interclubs, Belgium’s weekend team league) has gone way up, people don’t realise: even getting a like takes volume. He got Alcaraz. I got the clubhouse bar account, which likes everything, even closure notices when it’s pouring.
Céline then opened her folder to a blank page, titled “Social media: areas for improvement.” She wrote three lines: post earlier, post more often, and check the stringing in the photo, “because you can tell straight away when the tension’s off.”
Cobolli won’t get to check the sincerity of the gesture in person this week. Alcaraz is entered at the Tokyo tournament, Cobolli at the Beijing tournament. Céline finds the schedule rather fitting: “Tokyo, Beijing, everyone to their own zone. My season really starts in May, so do my likes. Two practice sessions away, mind you.”
Céline reposted her 2016 photo on Sunday evening. She got one like, from her doubles partner.
It’s true, we checked: We Love Tennis.
