Novak Djokovic calls for Davis Cup Finals rethink: ‘It has to travel!’
Novak Djokovic has taken aim at the current state of the Davis Cup as he called for Spain’s monopoly on hosting the finals to end.
The Davis Cup is one of tennis’ oldest competitions and has traditionally been famed for home and away ties played in front of highly partisan crowds.
It created an energy that could not be replicated elsewhere in tennis, although it also proved difficult logistically meaning that top players often found it difficult to fit into their schedules.
In 2019 it was revamped by investment group Kosmos and rebranded as the World Cup of Tennis, with a week-long finals event taking place in November.
However, all four of those events have been held in Spain, and with Kosmos now out of the picture, Djokovic is among those hoping that means the Davis Cup can go on the road again.
“This is a competition that is played globally,” Djokovic told the press in Malaga. “It shouldn’t stay in one place more than a year.”
Since the ITF broke off their relationship with Kosmos earlier this year, the future of the Davis Cup is currently in some doubt. The tournament will survive, but the format is all but certain to change in some way.
That issue, as far as Djokovic is concerned, is one that should only be decided after consulting the players.
“Everyone should have their say because so far no-one has been really communicating with us from the ITF,” he said.
“I don’t think we all agree. We will have probably difference of opinions, but the home-and-away ties is something the Davis Cup historically has been very famous for.
“Giving one nation to host the [Final] Eight for four years is too much. It has to travel.”
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