There are loads of individuals who do not just like the new-ish Davis Cup format however the International Tennis Federation (ITF) will keep it up, regardless of ending its partnership with funding group Kosmos.
Earlier this month, veteran French participant Nicolas Mahut complained, “We lost four years of Davis Cup. We should never have allowed this”.
And Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt lamented the top of home-and-away ties eventually yr’s finals in Spain.
“I know how much it meant for me as a player to get the opportunity to play in finals. So I’m thrilled that these boys get that opportunity,” he stated.
“But I’d love it to be in Australia, though. I’m disappointed the boys don’t get to play in front of 15,000 at Rod Laver Arena.”
However, it seems as if finals week is right here to remain though the ITF, the governing physique of the game, has ended its partnership, 5 years into its 25-year deal.
The take care of Kosmos – fronted by former Barcelona soccer participant Gerard Pique – had led to a complete overhaul of the competitors based in 1900, with the standard home-and-away ties performed over a number of weekends within the yr scrapped.
That format was changed in 2019 with just one home-and-away spherical adopted by 18 groups competing in a single metropolis for a week-long climax to the season.
This yr, the group stage will happen at 4 venues from September 12-17, that includes 16 groups, with eight groups advancing to the knockout rounds in Malaga in November.
“We’re very excited with the format we have. If you go back to the old format, the problem was that the players would have to commit four weeks a year to play,” ITF president David Haggerty stated.
“They wouldn’t know where they were playing. They wouldn’t know the weeks they were playing and they didn’t know who their opponents were. That was one of the big reasons we went through the consultation and made the changes for the 2019 edition.
“We like that it is outlined. We’re trying to ensure now we have the very best gamers competing and that now we have followers within the stadium and followers all over the world.
“Last year we were broadcast in more than 200 countries and territories, so it’s ticking all those boxes and making sure we continue to grow the strength of the competition.”
London-based ITF stated final month that it had the funds in place to run the 2023 competitors and Haggerty stated it was in “robust financial shape”.
“The board planned for the Davis Cup with Kosmos and without Kosmos,” he added.
He added that the ITF would work with the ATP to seek out methods to enhance the competitors.
“We’ll continue to find good partners, like-minded partners and sponsors.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
