Novak Djokovic to fight against Davis Cup Olympic rule

Novak Djokovic wants to appeal a rule that says players must be involved in the new Davis Cup to be eligible for the Olympic.

President of the International Tennis Federation David Haggerty approved a radical revamp of the Davis Cup

ITF president David Haggerty has flipped the bird at Australian tennis by ignoring the stalwart Davis Cup nation for a wildcard into next year’s finals.

Britain received a golden ticket … only for the coach of British No. 1 Kyle Edmund to lift the lid on the newfangled tournament, saying it was viewed by players as a disaster waiting to happen.

World No. 1 and ATP Player Council president Novak Djokovic has emailed his peers to encourage an appeal against an ITF rule that says players must be involved in the Cup to be eligible for Olympic selection.

Haggerty has likened the growing dissent to the reaction caused by Brexit. It will be a major topic of heated debate at the Australian Open next month.

Player discontent with the revamped Davis Cup has become so evident that representatives of the Spanish investment group Kosmos, whose 25-year, $3 billion contract has been behind the ITF’s willingness to obliterate 118 years of Cup tradition, will converge on Melbourne Park in an effort to convince players to be involved.

The Davis Cup looms as an utter humiliation for Haggerty and the ITF. Supporters justified the new format as needed to reinvigorate player interest. However, the schedule is now worse than it was before. The whole thing would be a joke if it wasn’t such a serious threat to the fabric of tennis.

Edmund’s coach, Fidde Rosengren, told Swedish radio during this year’s Cup final: “Kyle received an email from Djokovic last week. ITF has rules that one must play two Davis Cup matches the same year as the Olympics to represent his country in the Olympic Games. He (Djokovic) wants the players to boycott that rule. That shows he does not want to play Davis Cup in order to represent his country in the Olympics.”

There are doubts that Swiss ace Roger Federer will play in the revamped Davis Cup. Picture: AFP

The Davis Cup finals have been scheduled for November in Madrid. Asked if Kosmos’ contract with the ITF demanded a certain number of top-20 players be involved, a Kosmos spokesperson replied: “All clauses of the agreement are confidential.”

Haggerty did not respond to questions from The Australian.

Snubbed by the ITF for a wildcard entry to the finals — surely in response to Australia’s vehement opposition to the changes — the Lleyton Hewitt-led team will play a qualification tie against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Adelaide’s Memorial Drive in February.

The decision on the wildcards was made by Haggerty, ITF vice-president Rene Stammbach and, remarkably, two representatives from Kosmos: founder Gerard Pique and competition director Galo Blanco.

Edmund’s unavailability would make a mockery of their decision to give the Brits a saloon passage. Without the world No. 14, the British team would consist of world No. 91 Cameron Norrie and world No. 192 James Ward.

“I haven’t heard anyone being positive about it,” Rosengren said.

“I haven’t heard a player being happy about the new Davis Cup format. Nothing positive at all.

“They say, the ITF, that Federer and Djokovic will play. Bullshit.”

Novak Djokovic is leading the backlash against new rules surrounding the Davis Cup and Olympics qualification. Picture: AFP

The just-completed traditional Cup final between Croatia and France at Lille was crackerjack. Electrifying atmosphere. Grim-faced desperation from the players. A full house.

When Haggerty was shown on the big screen, he was booed.

Kosmos founder Gerard Pique, CEO Javier Alonso, Cup competition director Galo Blanco and tournament director Albert Costa will all be at Melbourne Park next month, with Haggerty, talking to as many players as possible.

Haggerty was quoted yesterday as saying of the dissent: “Not many things in life are 100 per cent in terms of people getting behind any one decision.

“But if you’re passionate about it you understand that people may be passionate about it in the exact opposite way. Passion is what our sport is about and I think that’s really what Davis Cup stands for.

“I understand the way the crowds feel, the emotion. While I may not outwardly show it, I do have quite a bit of passion for Davis Cup. We would never do anything we felt wasn’t the right decision and I think we will see in Madrid a great atmosphere.”

The Cup used to be a travelling feast of prestigious team tennis.

Individual ties did not attract much attention outside of the nations competing but within those competing countries the interest was feverish. Ditching home-and-away knockout ties has meant only one top-tier nation will host a Cup tie every year. Australia only gets a home tie because it’s been shoved out to the wilderness.

No more ties in France. America. Serbia. Not one. Next year, it’s Spain only. The home of Kosmos.