NEW DELHI: A three billion greenback deal is too large to forget about as authorities target revamp of the Davis Cup however taking out the home and away structure isn't "ideal" since it is the DNA of the contest, says India's captain Mahesh Bhupathi.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will put to test a proposal to create a season-ending World Cup of Tennis, that includes 18 nations.
The matches will be played over a week at a single venue within the conventional week of Davis Cup final in November, abolishing the home and away structure for ties within the elite World Group.
The idea, authorized by the ITF Board of Directors, will be put to vote in August in Orlando and desires two-thirds majority to become a truth.
The revamp idea has come after the ITF struck a deal with investment team Kosmos, founded and run by Spanish international and FC Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique. It is predicted to pump in $three billion into the match in a 25-year length.
It's being speculated that sponsors and corporate lobbies are placing pressure at the ITF to get more top avid gamers to participate in Davis Cup. There are circumstances when top avid gamers, within the wake of an already filled agenda, have skipped ties.
Bhupathi stated, Davis Cup used to be nonetheless "relevant".
"Davis Cup is special and all the top players have committed to it at some point. Like every sport, tennis needs to be driven by innovation and revenue and if there is a three billion dollar opportunity there is no way it can be ignored regardless of the sentiment," Bhupathi informed PTI.
"Top players always play for their country when they are fit and healthy. A case in point is Rafa (Rafael Nadal) who just played even when he missed Indian Wells and Miami (Masters events). It's not about Davis Cup. If a player is injured or tired they miss the biggest events in the world as well like you saw at the London Masters few years in a row," he argued.
However, Bhupathi, winner of 12 Grand Slam titles, stated taking out the home and away ties isn't a super idea.
"It will not be ideal because playing at home and dealing with the challenges in away ties is part of the Davis Cup DNA that makes the competition exciting," Bhupathi stated.
The tennis global is divided at the issue with one of the most top avid gamers such as Nadal voicing their beef up for it while a few like Nicolas Mahut, Greg Rusedski and Todd Woodbdrige saying it is going to kill the very essence of the match.
India's top player Yuki Bhambri differed from his captain and stated having a World Cup used to be no longer a nasty idea.
"If it is a World Cup then yes, doing away with home and away format, is okay," Yuki, a key member of Indian group, stated.
"Everyone has opinion. Some say it might benefit some say it won't. I think a lot more ATP points need to be added and it always helps to increase the prize money. Another idea could be to have Davis Cup every two or three years. Right now a country wins in November and is back in February to play the first round again," Yuki made his point.
Former nationwide champion Ashutosh Singh, also a former member of Indian Davis Cup squad, though used to be no longer supportive of the changes.
"On one hand, ITF president David Haggerty says we needs to popularise the sport and extend it further, carry in more numbers however then again, he proposes to take away the viewership and website hosting chances from a majority of nations, in impact limiting its outreach. It will be loss of life of Davis Cup
"I do not understand why the ITF needs to compete with ATP in each and every facet? ITF has a far larger function and an even larger responsibility than ATP in maintaining the essence of game.
"The International Olympic Committee counts ITF as a stakeholder and not ATP. So, the current president wants to go opposite to what the Olympic charter says?," he requested.
He further stated the money will have to no longer be a factor in each and every choice.
"If money is what makes you happy, you'll never be happy, as money is just numbers and numbers never end. But hopes, dreams, aspirations do crash at some point if one sees the ways blocked in front of him."
Singh also criticised the transfer to restrict the choice of ranked avid gamers on ATP to simply 750.
"ITF will need to co-operate with ATP and WTA at some levels since these three bodies are responsible for governing and running the sport but if you've only 750 ranked players, the relegation and qualifying ties at zonal levels will have only amateurs representing the countries," he feared.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will put to test a proposal to create a season-ending World Cup of Tennis, that includes 18 nations.
The matches will be played over a week at a single venue within the conventional week of Davis Cup final in November, abolishing the home and away structure for ties within the elite World Group.
The idea, authorized by the ITF Board of Directors, will be put to vote in August in Orlando and desires two-thirds majority to become a truth.
The revamp idea has come after the ITF struck a deal with investment team Kosmos, founded and run by Spanish international and FC Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique. It is predicted to pump in $three billion into the match in a 25-year length.
It's being speculated that sponsors and corporate lobbies are placing pressure at the ITF to get more top avid gamers to participate in Davis Cup. There are circumstances when top avid gamers, within the wake of an already filled agenda, have skipped ties.
Bhupathi stated, Davis Cup used to be nonetheless "relevant".
"Davis Cup is special and all the top players have committed to it at some point. Like every sport, tennis needs to be driven by innovation and revenue and if there is a three billion dollar opportunity there is no way it can be ignored regardless of the sentiment," Bhupathi informed PTI.
"Top players always play for their country when they are fit and healthy. A case in point is Rafa (Rafael Nadal) who just played even when he missed Indian Wells and Miami (Masters events). It's not about Davis Cup. If a player is injured or tired they miss the biggest events in the world as well like you saw at the London Masters few years in a row," he argued.
However, Bhupathi, winner of 12 Grand Slam titles, stated taking out the home and away ties isn't a super idea.
"It will not be ideal because playing at home and dealing with the challenges in away ties is part of the Davis Cup DNA that makes the competition exciting," Bhupathi stated.
The tennis global is divided at the issue with one of the most top avid gamers such as Nadal voicing their beef up for it while a few like Nicolas Mahut, Greg Rusedski and Todd Woodbdrige saying it is going to kill the very essence of the match.
India's top player Yuki Bhambri differed from his captain and stated having a World Cup used to be no longer a nasty idea.
"If it is a World Cup then yes, doing away with home and away format, is okay," Yuki, a key member of Indian group, stated.
"Everyone has opinion. Some say it might benefit some say it won't. I think a lot more ATP points need to be added and it always helps to increase the prize money. Another idea could be to have Davis Cup every two or three years. Right now a country wins in November and is back in February to play the first round again," Yuki made his point.
Former nationwide champion Ashutosh Singh, also a former member of Indian Davis Cup squad, though used to be no longer supportive of the changes.
"On one hand, ITF president David Haggerty says we needs to popularise the sport and extend it further, carry in more numbers however then again, he proposes to take away the viewership and website hosting chances from a majority of nations, in impact limiting its outreach. It will be loss of life of Davis Cup
"I do not understand why the ITF needs to compete with ATP in each and every facet? ITF has a far larger function and an even larger responsibility than ATP in maintaining the essence of game.
"The International Olympic Committee counts ITF as a stakeholder and not ATP. So, the current president wants to go opposite to what the Olympic charter says?," he requested.
He further stated the money will have to no longer be a factor in each and every choice.
"If money is what makes you happy, you'll never be happy, as money is just numbers and numbers never end. But hopes, dreams, aspirations do crash at some point if one sees the ways blocked in front of him."
Singh also criticised the transfer to restrict the choice of ranked avid gamers on ATP to simply 750.
"ITF will need to co-operate with ATP and WTA at some levels since these three bodies are responsible for governing and running the sport but if you've only 750 ranked players, the relegation and qualifying ties at zonal levels will have only amateurs representing the countries," he feared.
Home and away format is DNA of Davis Cup: Bhupathi
![Home and away format is DNA of Davis Cup: Bhupathi]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
April 30, 2018
Rating:
