ITF ends cooperation with Piqué’s company behind Davis Cup format change

2018 was a groundbreaking year for the Davis Cup. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) approved a major change to the format of the famous men’s national team competition. It hired investment group Kosmos, headed by footballer Gerard Pique, to do the job. That collaboration is now coming to an early end.

The original contract was for 25 years, during which the company was to invest three billion dollars, or 65 billion crowns. It was supposed to participate in making a competition with a long history more attractive.

According to the ITF, such as its chairman David Haggerty, the development of the Davis Cup has stagnated. But the introduction of the format of a single-round qualifier followed by a large-scale final tournament instead of the traditional international weekend duels did not gain much popularity.

For example, the France 24 website quotes these words from Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt in 2019.

“Now we are being run by a Spanish footballer… That’s like me going to ask for changes in the Champions League,” the former world number one was further heard to say at the time. Numerous criticisms also came from the general tennis public, including fans.

So the plan for a quarter-century-long collaboration by Kosmos, led by the former successful Barcelona football defender, did not work out, as the beginning of this year brings the Davis Cup back under the control of the ITF. But does this also mean the reintroduction of the original form of the competition?

The organisation has not yet announced this. What is certain is that the current edition will end with a play-off in Malaga, Spain in November, which will follow the main part of the final tournament in September.

Before that, however, qualifying is on the agenda for the 111th edition of the Davis Cup, which is also currently part of the ATP circuit. This will take place in February and the Czechs will face home team Portugal on clay in Maia.

The defending champion of the trophy is Canada, which last year ranked 16th on the list of “salad bowl” winners. The United States of America has the most championships, with 32. Our national team has won the overall title three times, in 1980, 2012 and 2013.

Source: Davis Cup, Tennis Portal, France 24