World Cup of Tennis on the horizon
Transformation of struggling Davis Cup competition gets thumbs-up from game’s top stars
French captain Yannick Noah, centre, holds up the Davis Cup after winning the title in 2017. The Davis Cup is about to become a weeklong World Cup of Tennis.
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 US$20 million.
“We think the change we are making will make it so much more appealing and tangible to the top players,” said David Haggerty, president of the International Tennis Federation.
Established in 1900, the Davis Cup has struggled for relevance in a crowded sporting calendar 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.
It would comprise a round robin format followed by a quarter-final 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 prioritize it,” Haggerty said.
“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.”
Haggerty said the ITF’s long-term goal is to turn the women’s Fed Cup into a similar one-week event.