By Scoop Malinowski
The tennis powers that be want to change the format of the Davis Cup and at least one prominent tennis figure is standing up and resisting the drastic alterations to one of the most historic elements of professional tennis. The Davis Cup.
“The #DavisCup is one of the best competitions in world sport with 117 years of history & tradition. There is no greater honour! #FightForWhatsRight” was a post by Lleyton Hewitt on Instagram two weeks ago.
Hewitt reminisced with Mark Philippoussis: “Some of the best memories of our careers mate!”
Under the new ITF plan, eighteen nations would compete in the “World Cup of Tennis Finals” initially a round robin phase and then a knockout stage to win the Davis Cup. Ties would be reduced to three rubbers – two singles and one doubles – best of three sets. The current format has sixteen nations in the World Group, contesting four rounds over the year in four singles and one doubles rubber, best of five sets.
Hewitt replied bluntly to this new system: “I am obviously totally against it and pretty frustrated by what has occurred… I think (ITF president David) Haggerty should lose his job if this does not go in his favor.”
The ITF has partnered with an investment group led by Spanish soccer star Gerard Pique with backing by Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten. The ITF says this partnership will provide $4 billion in funding over 25 years to be distributed as prize money and to grow the event globally.
Hewitt so far is the only prominent player who has taken an outspoken position against the new Cup format. Yesterday Hewitt put up his fists again and challenged the ITF in a post on Instagram showing a video montage of yesterday’s five set doubles match contested by Spain and Germany inside the gigantic Plaza del Toros bull ring arena in Valencia Spain.
Are you serious @itf__tennis ??? You’re trying to kill off home & away ties, 5 set tennis and this unbelievable atmosphere! This is what representing your country is all about. #Pride #Passion #VoteNo
You have to wonder why aren’t more prominent Davis Cup legends like John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Yannick Noah, Andy Roddick, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Carlos Moya, standing up and joining Lleyton Hewitt in this fight to save the Davis Cup?
Hartt · April 8, 2018 at 11:21 am
I am watching Kohli vs Ferrer in Valencia, so don’t have much time right now. Have been watching since 5:00 am when Rafa vs Sascha started. It is now over 6 hours later. This current match is terrific.
Hartt · April 8, 2018 at 2:30 pm
The match between Kohlschreiber and Ferrer was amazing. It went 5 sets, with Ferrer winning in the end. I read that they had 186 points each, the match was so close. A lot of great shot-making and entertaining points. Kohli was distraught afterwards, and David said it was one of the best moment of his life.
The large, enthusiastic Spanish crowd was great. They cheered lustily for their players, both Rafa and Ferrer, but did not interfere with actual play. There was quite a large band that played continually, except when the ball was in play. And the venue of a historic bullring added a lot to the atmosphere.
There is no way we will get this kind of atmosphere in a neutral venue for a “World Cup of Tennis Finals.”
The proposed event has virtually nothing in common with Davis Cup. Not only does it do away with the home and away feature that makes DC so compelling, but it will feature round robin play, the best of 3 sets, and only 2 singles along with 1 doubles. The only thing it would retain from current DC is including the 16 countries of the World Group
in the 18 countries invited to take part.
I honestly believe that if this new format is adopted they should acknowledge it is no longer Davis Cup and retire the current trophy to the Hall of Fame. I don’t think Dwight Davis commissioned the trophy for a lot of highly-paid tennis players to try to make even more money. He saw the competition as a way to foster relations between countries.
As far as players speaking out, several have. Yannick Noah: “They sold the soul of an historic event. Sorry Mr. Davis.” In fact, the entire French team has been very vocal. Mahut said: “They have just killed Davis Cup.” French supporters at the recent tie in Genoa had a huge banner with “Davis Cup in danger.”
After the terrific doubles rubber yesterday, the German captain said in the on-court interview: “Greetings to David Haggerty. This is Davis Cup.” The Belgians are opposed; “This formula is exactly what we do not want.” Stan Smith said it was hard to see the proposal going through.
Even Jim Courier, who is in favour of the changes, admitted: “The romance will take a major hit,” and voiced concerns about the timing of the event.
Scoop Malinowski · April 8, 2018 at 6:27 pm
Hartt, only saw bits of that epic Ferrer win. The whole tie was a microcosm for Davis Cup at its very best. Okay, welcome the new event but do not destroy one of the greatest most historic events in professional tennis, the Davis Cup. People like McEnroe and Edberg and Becker need to get involved and support the traditional Davis Cup. I’d guess they want to keep it as it is. Hopefully this attempted murder of Davis Cup will rejuvenate it as an event and spark a renaissance of Davis Cup and more top players opt to get more involved in it. Rafa did it now Fed should too, to make a big statement. Davis Cup has been a huge factor in Fed’s career, the epic match with Hewitt in Australia and also his two early singles wins vs USA early in his career helped shape his career.
Duke Carnoustie · April 8, 2018 at 9:21 pm
Davis Cup needs to be reformed. End of story. The format is silly. Everyone hails a match that goes to the decisive length like Spain-Germany.
Well imagine being in Nashville and paying top dollar – since it wasn’t cheap – to watch Harrison beat Bemelmans today in a meaningless match. And they didn’t even play the fifth match.
Plus how many times do the two top-ranked players in each country never meet since the tie is decided? Nadal and Zverev should be playing on day one so this starts out with a bang.
Just cause it’s tradition doesn’t make it good. Most Davis Cup ties are terrible. In the world group, only Spain-Germany went to a decisive fifth match out of 12 ties so far. So there is little drama.
Three days of it is silly too since Saturday getting one doubles match – and again paying top dollar for it – is a waste of money. The whole thing is a mess if anyone logically thinks it through.
catherine · April 9, 2018 at 7:59 am
Scoop – I don’t see how you can ‘welcome the new event’ and retain the Davis Cup as it is now, which is what you seem to be suggesting.
It’s either one or the other, given the crowded state of the calendar.
Duke – lots of tennis matches in GS tournaments are terrible. Doesn’t mean we have to get rid of the tournament or revamp it like an exho. Change the match format perhaps in DC ties, but keep the original structure.
Scoop Malinowski · April 9, 2018 at 8:15 am
Fans take risks…Tyson KO Spinks in 91 seconds. An NFL blowout or 0-0 tie. A baseball game 1-0. Sometimes you get good value for your ticket sometimes you don’t, same with tennis and Davis Cup.
catherine · April 9, 2018 at 9:35 am
missing post
catherine · April 9, 2018 at 9:42 am
Scoop – I’ve made your latest post disappear now. If I submit this it will probably come back.
Duke Carnoustie · April 9, 2018 at 11:26 am
But if you schedule two matches in a regular tournament and someone pulls out it’s one thing. In Davis Cup, the Sunday matches are a waste. No reason to watch Harrison play Bemelmans with nothing at stake. That’s an awful exhibition and I’d rather watch a challenger.
More times than not Davis Cup is a waste of time. How many great matches have there been? Nobody cares. I was with Pete Sampras in ’07 at a clinic the last time the U.S. won over Russia in the final; he didn’t care. You think he is similarly uncaring for a Slam final?
I think Fed and Nadal destroying DC could be their greatest accomplishments.
Hartt · April 9, 2018 at 12:49 pm
Duke, maybe you don’t care, but plenty of fans love Davis Cup. The two matches on Sunday in Valencia were not a waste of time, especially the deciding rubber. And those thousands of Spanish spectators, not to mention all the people watching on TV or on their computers, did not think it was a waste of time.
Scoop Malinowski · April 9, 2018 at 1:12 pm
Duke, Pete cared enough to be the hero to carry USA to beat Russia in the final. But the lack of media care and attention of Pete’s heroics dissolved Pete’s devotion to Davis Cup. Why soldier so hard for American tennis if the mainstream media just ignores it? Pete played some of the greatest tennis of his career in Davis Cup. I blame the media for not sufficiently covering and respecting Davis Cup.
catherine · April 9, 2018 at 2:04 pm
If no one cares about the Davis Cup what makes you think they’re going to care about the ‘World Cup of Tennis Finals’ or whatever gimcrack title they find for it ?
Scoop Malinowski · April 9, 2018 at 2:15 pm
Catherine, they will promote the new event. Have you ever seen any promotion or hype for Davis Cup?
catherine · April 9, 2018 at 2:27 pm
Sorry all – I answered here and previous comments vanished. I think I’ll have to stay away for a while.
catherine · April 9, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Scoop, the Davis Cup doesn’t need much promotion, surely, after all these years. There’s publicity and promotion in the places where the ties are being played. That’s where the crowds are.
I’m with Hartt – if this new competition comes in the Davis Cup should be retired, like the Wightman Cup.
Looks like you can see comments and I can’t, which is frustrating. So I don’t know what I can do. Except just go on commenting and hope to catch up eventually.
Hartt · April 9, 2018 at 6:03 pm
In Canada there is a lot of hype when Davis Cup is played here. There are articles in the papers and pieces on the sports networks. And of course they show the entire event on TV.
One of the things that will be lost in this new competition is taking tennis to places that don’t normally have pro tennis. When DC is played in Canada they go to Halifax, Ottawa, Edmonton or Vancouver. As far as I know, only Vancouver has any pro tennis at all, and that is a Challenger. Given the huge distances here, it is not practical to travel to the Rogers Cup for many people – Davis Cup is their one opportunity to see pro tennis players.
I don’t think Valencia has had an ATP tourney for a few years now, those fans probably were thrilled to see such high caliber tennis live.
Duke Carnoustie · April 9, 2018 at 9:56 pm
I think Scoop is right that the promotion is bad.
Meanwhile did you know the Spain-Germany tie wasn’t on TV in Germany? That’s the truth and exactly my problem with DC. That’s a joke. Deutsche Welle, a major German news outlet, also had no coverage.
My argument isn’t that tennis fans don’t like DC; you know we will watch Challengers from anywhere. My argument is that it has little effect on the sporting public at large and is why it has been diminished. Nadal had to bat away questions about football this week.
The people behind the new event are thinking big and I support them along with Fed and Nadal.
catherine · April 10, 2018 at 2:20 am
It’s early April in Europe and the only sport is football. Sorry, but that’s the state of things. DC would have been available through other tv, streams etc.
Did the major German papers have coverage ? Some of them probably did.
Tennis isn’t a major sport worldwide, even GSs. And having this World Cup once a year in one location for one week isn’t going to change that.
Hacks will initially get free trips etc in order to ensure coverage but there are lots of other things going on in the sports world and sports editors in all media are under pressure to give space to many more activities than used to be the case. Tennis is just one of them.
Hartt · April 10, 2018 at 8:42 am
There is no guarantee that this proposed new event will be successful. They are basing its success on the top guys playing, but will they? Federer, unless he wants to play in the Olympics, will never play DC again, whatever the format. Rafa likely will be done and dusted by the end of the season. It is hard to know if Andy and Novak will do OK in the regular season, much less attempt to play for even longer than they do now. Even Cilic, a top player even if not exactly a draw, has said he won’t be playing Davis Cup any longer if Croatia wins it this year. That is the reality, once top players have won DC, they aren’t likely to play it regularly after that.
Haggerty has acknowledged that this tournament likely will be in Asia (with one of the big backers Japanese), at least initially. So the matches won’t be aired in prime time in Europe and North America, but in the mornings. I can’t imagine the casual fans they are so desperate to attract watching tennis at 7:00 am. This will also make it very expensive for fans to travel to the venue. How much excitement will there be in the stadium?
The players complain about the short off season. At present, only 10 are playing in the DC final. But with this new format over 70 will have their season extended. And those players who are in the ATP finals will have to turn around and immediately fly to Asia. How inviting will that be?
Also, the ATP is continuing with its own plan for a world team event, to be held in early January. Certainly the timing will be better for the players. There isn’t room for 2 one-week team tourneys. So what will happen to the ITF event if the ATP one does materialize?
Yes, the ITF may kill off Davis Cup, and it won’t be able to resurrect it.