The Davis Cup is one of tennis’ most intriguing events, but it really feels like they’re not making the most out of it.
After all, for sports like football and rugby, their World Cup is the pinnacle of the sport.
Players strive for a spot on their respective team, for the opportunity to represent their country on the biggest stage.
The crucial difference between their World Cup and the tennis alternative is the scarcity – they compete every four years, whilst the Davis Cup is a yearly event.
However, if Carlos Alcaraz had it his way, that would change.
What change does Carlos Alcaraz want the Davis Cup to make?
Speaking during the ATP Finals last week, just after Lorenzo Musetti marked the latest big name to pull out of the tournament, the Spaniard admitted: “If I am honest with you, I think the Davis Cup is one of those tournaments that you’re not used to feeling and playing because you’re playing for your country, you’re playing with your teammates.
“It’s totally different. I think it’s one of the most privileged things you can do in our sport, representing your country.”
Which country will win the 2025 Davis Cup Finals?
It is for that reason that he proposed a change: “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.”
Ironically, it is now Alcaraz who has pulled out of the Davis Cup, having injured his hamstring during his ATP Finals defeat to Jannik Sinner.
This is not a new suggestion though, with John McEnroe having made this claim in 2010: “I think at the very least I would advocate they don’t play Davis Cup in Olympic year – and perhaps it should be played every other year.”
The “World Cup of Tennis” would be so much more prestigious with this change
If the Davis Cup were to be moved to an event only held every two, three or even four years, just like many other sporting World Cups are, the prestige surrounding it would be improved massively.
And, when the time came for international duty, there is not a player on the planet who would shirk that responsibility.
Not only that, but the space it would free up on the calendar would be huge, massively reducing the ongoing and ever-increasing physical scrutiny placed on the players.
Every year, we see a country claim the Davis Cup, and it is well celebrated.
However, if it were to become a far less-frequent and therefore more elusive prize, the number of people who would tune in would surely soar.
If that took expanding the amount of teams at the event, or taking up a longer period within the year it was active, then so be it. To turn this into one of tennis’ biggest spectacles, it would certainly be worth it.
