Madrid (AFP)

It will be the same Saladier d'Argent, but its content will have a different taste than the one tasted for 119 years: eighteen nations are competing from Monday in Madrid the new Davis Cup formula, which is a world championship to big show.

The show begins as it should be with an opening ceremony on Monday. But on the courts, to succeed Croatia who won the last Davis Cup in 2018 in its historic format, the show may be less flamboyant than the dream of footballer Gerard Piqué, whose investment company Kosmos has bought the competition rights for $ 3 billion over 25 years.

The density of the French team, finalist last year and led by Gael Monfils (10th worldwide), Benoit Paire (24th), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (29th), and double Nicolas Mahut - Pierre-Hugues-Herbert, winner of the Masters, makes it a logical candidate for the final victory ... just like Italy's Matteo Berrettini (8th) and Fabio Fognini (12th).

Except that the cards have been rebuffed by the new format of the venerable competition which now includes 18 countries in a world championship spread over a week in a single city (called to turn).

And especially, the clashes collected in three games in a row (2 singles and 1 double) instead of 5 in three days (4 singles and 1 double), starting with a group stage where each set and even each game will count for separating the teams, could favor those led by an overpowering locomotive.

- "The best team" -

In this respect, the Mahut-Herbert pair has something to play this role for France.

"When they are at their best, they are the best team," said French captain Sébastien Grosjean.

Spain with Rafael Nadal and Serbia with Novak Djokovic are also heavily armed.

It is also necessary that the world's N.1 and 2, who have fought a battle all season and up to the Masters in London for the title of best player of the year finally snatched by the Majorcan, are not not flat physically.

Their course in London (elimination in the group stage) would suggest that they are no longer in full possession of their means.

Djokovic has also complained of a "sharp" pain in the elbow after his defeat in London against Roger Federer. But the Serbian delegation was reassured after training late Sunday afternoon.

- Nadal "enchanted" -

Spanish captain Sergi Bruguera has been very optimistic about Nadal's form: "Honestly, he is in one of the best periods of his career, he is thrilled to play this Davis Cup, he is well and very eager to to play !"

In the absence of Roger Federer (Switzerland is not qualified and the N.3 world has not played the Davis Cup since it won in 2014), Daniil Medvedev (N.4 and exhausted after a particularly grueling season) or Alexander Zverev (N.6), disappointing performances by Rafa and Djoko could cause considerable harm to the competition with the public.

In players and coaches, the opinion is mixed.

"It has nothing to do anymore, it feels more like being at the Olympics than at the Davis Cup," said Belgian Steve Darcis.

On the contrary, "to see everyone on the same site, with everyone's tracksuit of his country, it's something different, something that I appreciate," commented Paire.

Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev, who calls himself a supporter of "tradition", regrets the reform. "It's a bit like chess where there are the classic games (which last for hours for championships that last for several days or even weeks, ed) and blitz games (note)" that promote the show and errors.

© 2019 AFP