'I don't like the new or old Davis Cup' - Novak Djokovic suggests changes to team event
17-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic has suggested a new format for the Davis Cup, wherein the matches would take place at six locations. Djokovic feels the Davis Cup matches didn't attract a big enough stadium crowd last year even though the top players played in the competition, and that a change in the format would help.
During his appearance on the 'Wish & Go' podcast, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic spoke extensively on the two premier team competitions in tennis - the Davis Cup and the ATP Cup. The two tourneys have a similar format, where the top players of a nation unite to take on the other countries.
I don't like the new or the old Davis Cup: Novak Djokovic
The Davis Cup organizers made massive changes to the tournament format in 2019. Under the new rules, the World Group matches occur at one location and in one week, with 18 teams divided into six groups. Also, the number of matches in each tie was reduced from five to three.
Novak Djokovic said that he doesn't like either the old or the modern format of the Davis Cup. He feels that the organizers were committing a blunder by scheduling all matches inside one week at the same location.
"I don't like the new or the old Davis Cup. When I was asked about the fate of the competition, I said, 'It will be a big mistake if you cram all the matches into one location in one week."
Stressed on the low attendance numbers during the Davis Cup Finals in Madrid, the Serb continued:
"Turns out, we had empty stands in Madrid at matches of some players. 40 people at Andy Murray's match."
It is best to have six locations for Davis Cup: Novak Djokovic
The ATP Players Council member suggested a different format for the Davis Cup, and shared the details of his meeting with the top officials in that regard:
"It is best to have six locations, or four, eight, that will host the group stages, where the winners will qualify for the elite eight who will move somewhere. They took that into account, I shook hands with them to make Belgrade one of the locations, but they gave up! Now 99 percent of the countries have no chance to play in front of their fans."
Novak Djokovic also gave his thoughts on the ATP Cup, which had its inaugural edition this year. The tournament in January, and featured teams from as many as 24 nations. Three venues in Australia hosted the entire tournament, and Novak Djokovic's Serbia came out on top.
The 2020 Australian Open champion lauded the Serbian fans who showed up in Australia to support their team.
"The ATP Cup, which is a competition (similar) to the Davis Cup, went very well, also because we won and had by far the strongest support. Our people were loud, numerous, patient...they were a big wind in our backs. Great attendance, and it's in one place, 10 years."
Djokovic also praised how well the sponsors planned the competition, using their monetary strength to bring the best players on the planet together at one place.
"It's about money. It's huge contracts; you have huge money and a sponsor who knows that he will always have the strongest players in the world. You can sacrifice 30, 40 percent, and still have income," Djokovic said.
The Serb also talked about how the number of team competitions has increased in recent times. Djokovic himself is organizing the Adria Tour next week, which is in addition to the already flourishing Laver Cup and World Tennis Championship.
"Most countries would like to have a World Tennis Championship. It is not known now whether the Davis Cup or the ATP Cup is a World Cup. You have both the Laver Cup and our Adria Cup… It is unpredictable how everything will go in the next period, how everything will return to normal. I sincerely hope that they will return to normal."