Davis Cup champions banned from hosting ties in 2022
The Russian team dominated the latter stages of the 2021 Davis Cup to claim their third title, but they must wait to host such magic.
World number two Daniil Medvedev led his nation through a quarter-finals, semi-final and final which saw the team win all six of their singles rubbers to win the event without the need for a deciding doubles in the knockout stages.
Next year, the Davis Cup Finals are set to be staged across five cities as an expansion on the three of Turin, Innsbruck and Madrid in 2021.
Organisers plan to stage each of the four groups of four teams in separate cities before a fifth city hosts the knockout stages.
While the bidding process for those host cities will get underway soon, 2021 champions Russia will be excluded from bidding.
This is a result of a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) ban on Russia competing under the name Russia, as well as a ban on them hosting any WADA listed world competitions.
The ITF is a member of WADA, meaning the Davis Cup falls under this ban. It is the same reason Russia competed under the name ‘Russian Tennis Federation’ at the 2021 Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.
โThe ban remains in place for two years and that includes Russia hosting any WADA listed world competitions or world cup tournaments/competition events,” the ITF explained.
“And when competing outside of Russia the use of their national name, insignia, emblems and anthem are banned throughout this same period.”
The ban is in force until 16th December 2022, after the end of the 2022 Davis Cup Finals.
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