The Davis Cup will once again change its face. If it does take place this year, given the health context, the competition, which opposes national teams, should take place in three different European cities, for eleven days, announced Monday, January 18, the International Tennis Federation (ITF ).
The latter has “Approved the organization of the finals over eleven days, with the 2021 edition being played from November 25 to December 5”. Until then, the event was scheduled from November 22 to 28. ITF also goes “Now start consultations for the introduction of a multi-city format from 2021”, add the text, “Two European cities” in addition to Madrid.
These two cities would host “Each two groups of the group stage and a quarter-final, while Madrid would host two groups, two quarter-finals, as well as the two semi-finals and the final”, explains the text.
Sixteen teams in 2022
In 2019, the Davis Cup was held in Madrid (Spain) in the new format offered by Kosmos Tennis, the group led by football player Gerard Pique, who bought it for three billion euros over twenty-five years. : eighteen teams had faced each other over a week. The second edition, also scheduled for Madrid in 2020, had been canceled due to the coronavirus.
The ITF also announced that it has “Approved a transition from 18 to 16 teams from 2022”. The 2019 edition, won by Spain, had been a popular failure. The week-long format also caused scheduling issues, with several games ending in the middle of the night.
The organizers have launched an appeal to identify the two new host cities. “A final decision on the 2021 format will be taken in March, taking into account the reception capacities and the evolution of the Covid-19”, adds the ITF.
