In the past, the Davis Cup Final ties between the two nations were mouthwatering events played in spectator-filled stadiums, vibrating with emotion and patriotic fervor. Held in the home country of one of the participating nations in a ‘home-and-away’ format, the matches used to take place across multiple days with a partisan atmosphere and the entire Davis Cup Finals ran over the course of a few months.
Yet in 2019, the ITF replaced the traditional ‘home-and-away’ format with a deal struck with the investment group Kosmos, led by Gerard Pique. The grand spectacle of lengthy ties, filled with a vibrant atmosphere and numerous twists, became lost. The current format condenses the entire event into a few days, with each tie ending in a single day with short matches, resulting in a quick turnaround.
Most notably, the tournament divided into final group stages and knock-outs, now takes place exclusively in some select European cities, particularly in Spain, where Kosmos had stronger connections. This shift has excluded many nations with rich histories in the competition, such as several South American countries and tennis-deprived nations like in the Asia-Oceania region.
Thank you @3gerardpique @ITFTennis 🤬🤦🏻♂️! @DavisCup France vs Switzerland in Manchester lol pic.twitter.com/XqcqSQEURd
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) September 12, 2023
In September, during the group ties for the Davis Cup Finals, organizers divided 16 national teams into 4 groups based in four cities- Manchester, Bologna, Split, and Valencia. Top players, including Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Stan Wawrinka, voiced concerns about the same, citing its inherent loss of appeal as most ties were played in neutral nations. This led to a sparse crowd and many players labeling it as a “Disaster.”
In 2018, after 72% of the ITF’s 213 member nations voted for reforms, Kosmos, co-founded by Gerard Piqué, pledged a $3 billion investment over a 25-year agreement. Despite initial skepticism within the sport, the deal collapsed in January, with Kosmos’s contract terminated 21 years ahead of schedule. This development has prompted a call for a reevaluation of the format.
Novak Djokovic calls for a change in Davis Cup Finals format
Novak Djokovic expressed his views on the Davis Cup Finals’ new format, emphasizing the need for it to “travel” around the world. Ahead of Serbia’s quarter-final against Great Britain in Spain, Djokovic criticized the current trend of always playing the final stages in Spanish cities since the 2019 revamp. Djokovic stated, “This is a competition that is played globally, It shouldn’t stay in one place more than a year.”
He urged for broader dialogue between the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and top players regarding the Davis Cup Finals. Djokovic advocated for a return to the traditional ‘home-and-away’ ties with some novel features of the current format too. He expressed disagreement with the practice of giving one nation the hosting rights for the final stages for four consecutive years, stating, “It has to travel.”
“In my opinion, I think the best format will be somewhere between the old and the new. (…) I think home and away matches are a historic characteristic of the Davis Cup.”
Novak Djokovic, on the Davis Cup format pic.twitter.com/CoAmOLl4dE
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) November 22, 2023
Australian player Alex de Minaur expressed a preference for the traditional home-and-away format saying, if possible, he would do it in a “heartbeat.” Lleyton Hewitt, the Australian Davis Cup team captain, emphasized the unique experience of playing in front of “home fans” or in “massive stadiums,” highlighting the distinct feeling it brings.
Despite calls for a change in format, it is unlikely to happen at least till 2025. Australian doubles legend Mark Woodforde, serving as an athlete representative on the ITF board, acknowledged the need for a “period of stabilization” following the unfortunate involvement of Kosmos and the difficulties presented by the pandemic.