Top players and ATP want overhaul of Davis Cup
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Italy's Jannik Sinner in action during his group stage match against Ben Shelton of the US.
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TURIN – Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are among the world’s top players calling for the Davis Cup to return to its traditional home-and-away format and be staged over two years, a proposal backed by ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.
The old format of home-and-away ties played over a few days every year was scrapped by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in 2019, and the 2025 Final 8 in Bologna begins two days after the Nov 16 ATP Finals decider in Turin.
Sinner, part of the Italy team who won the last two Davis Cups, ruled himself out of selection in 2025 to concentrate on preparations for his Australian Open defence.
“I never unfortunately played the Davis Cup, the real Davis Cup, where it’s away, playing in Argentina or in Brazil with the whole stadium, not against you, but for the other team,” he said after his win over Ben Shelton on Nov 14.
“It can happen that Australia plays against US next year in Bologna. You don’t have this Davis Cup feeling.”
The relentless calendar and lack of a proper off-season is an ongoing debate and the Professional Tennis Players’ Association filed a lawsuit against the sport’s governing bodies in March, describing the situation as unsustainable.
“I think playing with this schedule, Davis Cup, it’s difficult that you have every year from every country the best players in the world,” Sinner added.
“What I would like is having Davis Cup throughout two years. You can set up the semi-finals in the beginning of the year, and the final at the end of the year.”
World No. 1 Alcaraz, who is representing Spain next week, was asked about the Davis Cup after his win over Lorenzo Musetti on Nov 13, following the latter’s withdrawal from the Italy team.
“If the tournament is played every two or three years, the commitment of the players is going to be even more because it’s unique, it’s different,” he said.
“You’re not able to play every year. I would say they have to do something about it to make the Davis Cup unique.”
ATP chairman Gaudenzi spoke to reporters in Turin on Nov 13, and also broached the Davis Cup topic when speaking about scheduling issues.
“I do really love the Davis Cup. I think it’s an amazing event,” he said.
“We should all come together to try to make it the World Cup for tennis. In an ideal world I think the Davis Cup could go home and away and over two years.”
Alexander Zverev will compete in Bologna and on Nov 14 he exited the ATP Finals after defeat by Felix Auger-Aliassime. The German said: “The true Davis Cup is the home-and-away ties.
“I don’t think this Davis Cup is the real Davis Cup. It’s an exhibition tournament in a way, that is called Davis Cup. To play against Italy in Italy would be a completely different atmosphere than playing Italy in Spain. I played against Rafa Nadal in a bullfighting arena.
“That's for me the real Davis Cup.” REUTERS
