Players Voice Concern Over Team Cup Competitions

Nineteen ATP players requested that the International Tennis Federation, which runs the country competition, Davis Cup, move the rounds closer to the end of Grand Slams, but the ITF refused. This occurred earlier this year. Many tennis insiders still complain that the competition, with rounds in February, April, September, and December, is too spaced out and hard to follow in countries such as the U.S. where tennis is not as popular a sport. Some have proposed changes to the format.

ESPN tennis commentator suggested putting the semifinal and final together at the site of the defending champion, to create a year long build up.

Hall of fame tennis player Jim Courier advocated for a Ryder Cup like competition, occurring every other year for two weeks hosted in one country for the last 16 teams. Earlier rounds would still take place in other countries.

Tennis great Billie Jean King, founder of World Team Tennis, would like to see the competition played in a format similar to the WTT with men and women playing together: her matches are played in five sets with one set of men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles each. "These are the kind of values we want to transmit through sports: men and women, working together," she commented.

The task of keeping sports fans engaged in Davis Cup is one of concern to those who think it could be grander. Right now it is little known in the U.S., except by those with a keen interest in keeping up with it. Some lament that the ITF will be slow to change the format of these competitions which have such potential for showcasing drama.

But there is still great room for improvement to make the competition more fair. Currently it is played on a home and away basis between countries, alternating home field advantage. Who ever last hosted the last tie between two countries, which could have been years ago, plays the tie away. The home country has both the advantage of choosing the surface, and crowd support. A neutral site, and a fairer way of choosing the surface would go a long way toward making the competition more fair.