Tennis world split over new Davis Cup proposal

THE tennis world has reacted to plans to tear up 120 years of history to create a bold new format for the game’s biggest stars.

France celebrates winning the Davis Cup last year. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

THE Davis Cup could be transformed into a one-week, one-location, 18-nation World Cup of Tennis in a major overhaul aimed at enticing the best men’s players to play.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are among the stars to have reacted positively to the creation of an annual season-ending event, starting in 2019, that will have a total purse of $20 million.

“We think the change we are making will make it so much more appealing and tangible to the top players,” David Haggerty, president of the International Tennis Federation, told The Associated Press on Monday.

Established in 1900, the Davis Cup has struggled for relevance at times in a crowded sporting calendar in recent years because many top players have chosen not to play.

In this revamp, the World Cup of Tennis would be played over seven days in the traditional week of the Davis Cup final, rather than across four weekends in February, July, September, and November. It would comprise a round-robin format followed by a quarterfinal knockout stage. Each tie would be best-of-three sets and consist of two singles and a doubles.

Sixteen teams would automatically qualify for the finals, and two more would be selected.

“In November 2018, players will know who is playing in November 2019 and they’ll be able to factor that into their plans, travel, and prioritise it,” Haggerty said in a phone interview. “Now, you may know where your first tie is, but you’re not sure where your second would be. You’re not sure of the surface.

“There are some uncertainties and this will bring some clarity to it to help make the commitment to play.”

The tennis world was divided over the proposal.

Agree...😬

— Jonas Bjorkman (@BjorkmanTennis) February 26, 2018

RIP old Davis Cup! You were an outstanding competition...and at my time as the kid a dream to be part of it... hopefully the next one will be the same?!? 🤔 https://t.co/ZNwbi8njlL

— Paul Henri Mathieu (@PHMofficiel) February 26, 2018

Davis Cup moving to a 1 week event at the end of the year is LONG overdue. Now just make it every other year and we are cookin.

— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) February 26, 2018

Digesting this Davis Cup thing but some of the best sport, and most heroic individual performances, I've ever been lucky enough to cover has been with the home/away element of DC ties.

— Mike Dickson (@Mike_Dickson_DM) February 26, 2018

I like the new format, I think it will work. Just don’t call It Davis Cup, please.

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) February 26, 2018

The event has been devised in conjunction with investment group Kosmos, which was founded by Barcelona and Spain soccer player Gerard Pique. The partnership is worth $3 billion over 25 years.

Pique has been a big driver behind the overhaul. He personally presented the proposal to the ITF board in Barcelona on Saturday, a few hours before playing that night for his team in the Spanish league.

While people continue to either hyperventilate about the death of the Davis Cup or applaud forever (there seems to be no middle ground), I'm still just digesting the completely random and bizarre fact that Gerard Pique may soon be one of the most important people in tennis.

— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) February 26, 2018

“He has had conversations with players, and the players council,” Haggerty said of Pique. “The players are very supportive of this idea.

“I have to say that I haven’t spoken to them directly, but I know that Gerard has had some conversations over the last few days and had positive comments from Andy Murray, from Novak Djokovic.”

The ITF board unanimously endorsed the proposal, which will be submitted at the ITF’s annual general meeting in Florida in August.

My least favorite part of this proposal is putting it at the end of the season. Would be much more popular and well attended by players if it came instead during Davis Cup’s April or September dates.

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) February 26, 2018

Everyone keeps saying that this radical Davis Cup proposal would mean the final phase is going to be played indoors. Not right. They need a lot of courts to pull this off. Plan is to have it be staged outdoors, which opens up a lot of surface possibilities

— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) February 26, 2018

Haggerty said a decision on the venue for the inaugural competition will be taken in four to six weeks. There has been interest in the United States and Asia, among others.

It will be on a hard court to begin with, so players featuring in the ATP Finals in November don’t have to change surfaces.

“We want to find a relevant city that is world-class,” Haggerty said, “where sport and entertainment can come together, where fans will travel.’’

Haggerty said the ITF’s long-term goal is to turn the Fed Cup into a similar one-week event.

“This is a complete game-changer for the ITF and for tennis,” he said.