Novak Djokovic advocates for global rotation of Davis Cup finals

Novak Djokovic Calls for Davis Cup to Travel Around the World

Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic has voiced his opinion on the location of the Davis Cup knockout phase, stating that it “has to travel” around the world. As Serbia prepares to face Britain in Spain for their quarter-final match, Djokovic emphasized the importance of having a global competition.

The final stages of the tournament have consistently taken place in Spanish cities since its revamp in 2019. However, Djokovic believes that this should not be permanent and expressed his view that “it shouldn’t stay in one place more than a year.”

Involving eight nations competing over a week-long event, Spain failed to qualify for this edition. The Davis Cup, which dates back to 1900 with its home-and-away format, often resulted in partisan atmospheres but frequently missed out on top players.

A controversial transformation was implemented as part of an ambitious £2.15 billion plan funded by Kosmos investment group led by former Spanish footballer Gerard Pique. This saw the final stages turned into a season-ending event held in Madrid.

Lack of Communication between ITF and Top Players

World number one Djokovic, who boasts an impressive record with 24 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, called for better communication between International Tennis Federation (ITF) and top players concerning future changes to the Davis Cup format.

“Everyone should have their say because so far no-one has been really communicating with us from ITF,” said Djokovic regarding player involvement. He added further concerns about lack of agreement among players and highlighted how historically famous home-and-away ties contribute significantly to Davis Cup tradition.

Expressing his dissatisfaction with the current setup, Djokovic stated, “Giving one nation the opportunity to host the [Final] Eight for four years is too much. It has to travel.”