Davis Cup director responds to calls to change the tournament’s format that Carlos Alcaraz has backed

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The Davis Cup is a unique event in tennis, as one of the very few team events in a sport renowned for its solo format.

As arguably one of the loneliest sports, tennis players naturally love it when the opportunity arises to gather with their compatriots and compete for something greater than personal glory and money.

However, of late, there has been growing scrutiny over the scheduling and format, with some, including Carlos Alcaraz, even calling for a bold change to the frequency of the event.

Feliciano Lopez, the director of the Davis Cup, has now responded to these claims.

Feliciano Lopez responds to Davis Cup criticism

Speaking to Punto de Break ahead of the Davis Cup finals, he admitted, regarding the suggestion that the Davis Cup could move to every two, three or four years: “It’s nothing new. So many things have been said about the Davis Cup format… practically since I started playing, I have heard different ideas, formats, to involve the best players.”

However, the Spaniard could only draw from his own experiences, and he argued: “In the era when I was playing, it was said that the best didn’t play. The reality is that we have come here by listening to everyone. The ITF has listened to captains, federations, players… to get to this point.

“ I think it is a significant advancement to be able to play another round in September, with the home and away format, the one we historically had, and that is the essence of this competition. It’s already two rounds like that, and the Finals product was a success in Malaga.”

Lopez concluded by suggesting that change could emerge in the future, and that he is willing and open to all suggestions: “We are open to keep listening to people, especially to all the parties involved in the world of tennis, to try, if possible, to improve. It doesn’t mean it has to be played every two years, but we are open to continue listening to everyone so that this format can be the best possible.

“I think we have reached a good understanding, and having another round in September plus the format of the Finals with 8 teams… worked very well in Malaga, and I am convinced it will be the same here. Italian tennis is experiencing its best moment in history, and we will be here for three years with a format that we believe is good.

“That said, we continue to be open to hearing from everyone: it is very important that there is good collaboration among all so that the Davis Cup has the place it deserves in the world of tennis”

What Carlos Alcaraz said about the Davis Cup

This is not a new issue that the Davis Cup faces, nor is it the biggest that they have faced in recent years.

After all, there is still widespread disdain for the change made in 2018, when Kosmos, a company founded by former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué, abolished home-and-away ties for the finals in favour of one end-of-season tournament at a neutral venue.

Fortunately, in 2023, the ITF terminated that deal, thus showing their willingness to adapt.

And, with superstars like Carlos Alcaraz arguing for that Davis Cup change, such a revamp could be just around the corner: “I agree that they got to do something in this event, because I think playing every year, I mean, it is not as good as it might be if you’re playing every two or three years.

“I think if the tournament is played like every two years or every three years, the players, the commitment of the players, it’s going to be even more because it’s unique, it’s different. You’re not able to play every year.”