Little Change Ahead For Davis Cup Competition

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 14th November 2013

Little Change Ahead For Davis Cup Competition

epa03413324 Tattoo on the arm of Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia is seen as he prepares to serve a ball against Fernando Verdasco of Spain during their quarter final match at the Thailand Open tennis tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, 28 September 2012. Tipsarevic won the match. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT |

Despite the annual chorus of complaints about a Davis Cup format fixed in stone, the worldwide team competition looks set to trudge on as it has for decades with the 2013 final set for this weekend in Belgrade.

Worries persist that with only a select few top players – think Novak Djokovic, leading Serbia against the Czech Republic this weekend – committing fully to the competition that some format modifications are needed.

Not actually, says the International Tennis Federation, which has resisted innovation forever. One suggestion has been to change the best-of-five-set former to the more common best-of-three now used with success on the ATP. And ITF boss Francesco Ricci Bitti has even admitted to the BBC that it might come to pass – someday.

“I would not exclude it,” said the Italian who has another few years at the helm. “Look at the evolution of the game. “This, honestly, is under consideration by us – perhaps not for the final or for the semi-final, but it could happen one day. If you consider the demands of tennis on the player, this is one of the things that is under consideration.”

Suggestion to limit the competition to once every other year have gone nowhere, as well as staging the competition at the same venue in a made-for-television spectacular. Those also seem to be non-starters. “We do our best to improve and to listen, but what we are not prepared to breach is our principles: home and away ties, nomination [choice of venue] by the [home] country, and the yearly competition,” said Ricci Bitti.

“People talk about [playing every] two years, but it’s a very naive idea. The tennis calendar is an annual calendar, so if you change one year, you have to adjust again.”

Editors Note :

It is the opininion here at 10sballs.com that the format for Davis Cup be modified. We strongly believe that the “challenge ” formula works best. It’s very simple. Ready. The winning team is already in the finals for the next year. They’ve won and they just wait for everyone else to duke it out and play them at the end of the year. … Maybe the general global population and Mr. Bitti don’t realize the pain and suffering it takes to win the Davis Cup to only have to start “defending it ” and playing for it again in 6 -8weeks ? It’s heartbreaking all around. It’s physically terrible and mentally worse.

Topics: 10sballs, Atp, Davis Cup, Itf, Novak Djokovic, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News