The director of the Davis Cup finals, Feliciano López, says he likes what he has seen so far in Bologna. “The sensations are very good. We didn’t expect anything else, but the teams are happy and everything is going very well. We are happy with what we have now,” says the man from Toledo, the one most responsible for ensuring that the march works these days and Davis puts a draw on the sixth edition held since the revolutionary turning point took place. Remember, 2019, a before and an after. 125 years of history are left behind: he arrives, a footballer, Gerard Piqué and everything changes. Or not. New format, indeed; adjustments to the calendar, but more or less respecting the origin; a result in the form of final fireworks. New attractions. However, something goes wrong.
Piqué said in his time – with Manuel Carmena at his side, at the Ifema in Madrid – that competition and federations are above names, that it is about teams and not so much about players and that, at that moment, Roger Federer having distanced himself from the new concept, the Swiss’s legs “were sufficient for what they gave him”. He arrived strong, in his own way. The fact is that today he is no longer here, given that the investment (2.5 billion euros) “was not profitable” and that his accounts are not balanced. His company, Kosmos, distanced itself from the project in 2023, although the International Tennis Federation (ITF, the current organizer) largely respects the idea implemented by the former FC Barcelona player. However, one of the great evils that afflicted the old format persists: absences. Numerous and varied.
“This is not the real Davis,” Alexander Zverev recently criticized. Paradoxically, German is the only one top 10 who saw the final stretch this week, following resignations, eliminations or setbacks. Carlos Alcaraz wanted to play, but fell at the last minute due to a muscle injury; The Italian Lorenzo Musetti was excluded, after Jannik Sinner was disgraced in his country for choosing not to compete this time, having already won two Saladeras; The nations of figures such as Djokovic, Fritz, De Minaur, Ruud, Draper and Medvedev did not qualify, being disadvantaged in the qualifying phase by the circuit calendar; and, for example, only three first 20 I’ve been looking these days.
The blame was placed on the old model which had recently lost momentum, i.e. the desertions They were the order of the day and more than an incentive they were becoming a rather annoying element for tennis players; which, somehow, had to be included in the calendar. Brainstorming in search of a utopian balance: neither excess nor defect, that the enterprise was profitable and that one way or another the stars’ appetite had to be reawakened. It didn’t happen. Actually, pretty much the same thing. Sinner (the two-time champion, in fact) already has what he wanted and many others maintain the same position; that is, the most important things first; that is, search for yourself.
Given the dynamics and evolution of events, there are many improvements, but they are still insufficient and the debate remains. The question hangs in the air: why not organize it every two years instead of annually, with the aim of outlining a product more attractive and that the best take the bait collectively? The Spanish captain, David Ferrer, misses the commitment of other times and has no doubts about it: the calendar is excessive, the Masters 1000 is getting longer, more days and sessions, then more ticket office and more money on the move – and the saturation is even greater. Davis, in line, so to speak. So the coach doesn’t hesitate: “It wouldn’t be bad to propose something like that.”
Every two years?
They like the six-monthly option and the two new leaders, Sinner and Alcaraz, are of the same opinion. For the Italian “it would be even bigger” and the Spaniard believes that the players’ willingness to play it “would be even greater”. This is supported by the president of the ATP, the Italian Andrea Gaudenzi: “I think that Davis could be played in a home and away format every two years. It would be a relief. As far as I know, there is no World Cup that is played every year.” And in the background, the feeling that everything has been moved to arrive at a more or less similar point, in the sense that the reluctance is still there. It’s hard to say yes and for one reason or another the puzzle isn’t solved.
In reality, Piqué didn’t lie to anyone. “It’s a team competition, so it’s impossible for us to make the perfect draw for all the players who come.” superior. But we don’t think individually,” he argued. He came, put in the millions and the necessary audacity to transform a competition of undoubted historical charm, at the same time obsolete, stagnant. Based on trial and error, the flaws were smoothed out until the current system was obtained, which aims to maintain the essence and at the same time coexist as harmoniously as possible with the routine that actually occupies tennis players. Most approve: Davis has been made more dynamic. But the problem is structural.
The situation of Alcaraz is symptomatic, as they will end 2025 without having played a match. A hamstring problem prevented him from parading on the Italian track, but first he was unable to do so – or rather, he decided so – in the commitments in February (Biel, Switzerland) and September (Marbella, Denmark). In the case of Sinner, more or less the same thing. Since he was crowned for the second time a year ago, he has not appeared again and prioritizes breaks. Zverev, for his part, had not done so since the start of 2023. “It’s sad that the series ended at 1am and with only 1,000 people in the stands,” he admitted after Germany’s quarter-final win.
“Different formats have been tried in recent years (groups and single venue, multi-venue, the current hybrid of the qualifying series and the final match between the eight strongest…) and we have arrived at this point after speaking with everyone. I think we are in a good moment” defends Feliciano; “Talking about commitment is like flipping a coin. Tennis changes constantly and so do the players’ preferences; there is a group that is fine with one thing and others with another. I think it is worth betting on this format in these three years (in Bologna), but we are open to continuing to collaborate with everyone to find, if there is, something better.”
SPAIN AND GERMANY, IN THE FINAL
CA | Bologna
Spain will face Germany today (12.00, Movistar+) in search of a place in Sunday’s final. The team led by David Ferrer returned from the Czech Republic to the quarterfinals (2-1) and is confident that the good work of the block will prevail once again.
On this occasion there will be the opposite Alexander Zverev, who reappeared in the competition after two years of absence. The world number three contributed to his team’s victory on Thursday, against Argentina (2-1). Jaume Munar, who also scored a point in the first match, will face him.
The historical summary tells us that the Germans dominate in the crossings with Spain: 7-10. The last one happened seven years ago, in 2018. On a hard surface the opponent dominates 2-3.
Italy, however, reached its third consecutive final this Friday by beating Belgium 2-0, thanks to the victories of Matteo Berrettini (6-3 and 6-4 against Raphael Collignon) and Flavio Cobolli (6-3, 6-7(5) and 7-6(15) against Zizou Bergs).
