Has San Francisco rebounded? If all the events this weekend are any indicator, then the answer is a resounding yes.
The city’s eastern shoreline has seen a flurry of activity this past week. On Saturday, the fourth installment of the popular electronic festival Portola returned to Pier 80, bringing its signature window-rattling bass and tens of thousands of fans fitted out like extras from the ’90s cyberpunk classic “Hackers.”
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Just up the road, a decidedly different crowd has taken a hold of Chase Center, where the annual Laver Cup kicked off on Friday. It’s the first time a U.S. city has hosted the tennis tournament since 2021, when it was held in Boston – and the turnout has been tremendous.
Now in its 8th year, the tournament showcases the sport’s top talent, facing off against each other in a World versus Europe format. Among the players duking it out on the black court this year include the No. 1 seeded Carlos Alcaraz, U.S. favorite Taylor Fritz and many other big names including Casper Ruud, Holger Rune and Alex de Minaur.
Among the famous faces spotted throughout Chase Center were tech mogul Bill Gates, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha Curry. On Saturday, before the marquee singles match between Alcaraz and Fritz, Curry made a special appearance on center court, alongside tennis legend Roger Federer, for the ceremonial coin toss, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Bill Gates attends day two of Laver Cup 2025 at Chase Center on September 20, 2025 in San Francisco. (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Laver Cup)
Actor Cooper Koch, his boyfriend Stuart McClave, actor Adam Scott, and his wife and producer, Naomi Scott, attend day two of Laver Cup 2025 at Chase Center on September 20, 2025 in San Francisco. (Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images for Laver Cup)
“Severance” lead Adam Scott was also seen courtside, taking in the scene with his wife Naomi Scott. Meanwhile, fans have been equally captivated by Andre Agassi’s avuncular coaching style from the Team World bench, where his hearty encouragement and endlessly expressive face delighted as much as the action on court.
As of Sunday morning, Team World holds a commanding 9-3 lead and needs just four more points to clinch the tournament. If they succeed, it would mark their third Laver Cup victory.
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