EDITORIAL
France came on Tuesday against Japan in Davis Cup. This 2019 edition marks the beginning of a new era. Played only a week in Madrid with a final on Sunday, this formula picked up already attracted criticism from the players and the main observers of world tennis. Very attached to the Davis Cup in its historical format, our editorialist Virginie Phulpin is very critical of the reform of one of the oldest tennis competitions in the world, created in 1900.
"Already, the baby is born, and we still do not have the name: World Cup or Davis Cup? We will have to decide, the players do not know in which competition they evolve, and the public does not know how to call what he's watching is embarrassing.
Finally, the public is saying a lot. On Monday, for the opening ceremony, we could almost call each spectator by his first name, as the stands were empty. We are very far from the excitement seen in Australia for the Fed Cup ten days ago.
In short, twelve nations are reunited, group matches, semi-finals and a final. This reform was decided to attract the best world players, who abandoned the old version. Missed, there are only five of the world's top ten.
What are we doing to attract them? We are exploding the 'prize money'. This week, each participant is sure to leave with 100,000 dollars (about 90,000 euros). So we show that the only thing that can attract players is money. Congratulations, nice message. It annoys moreover players who do not want to be taken for mercenaries. Rest in peace, spirit of the Davis Cup ...
It had to be reformed to try to bring back the best players
Reform, yes, revolutionize, no. The international federation could have found a soft solution, one less round to lighten the schedule, or matches at the best of three or more rounds of the five sets. But it should have been racking his head, too hard. While Cosmos, the group created by the Spanish footballer Barça Gerard Piqué, had a turnkey solution, with a lot of money to invest and a Shakira to exhibit for the closing party. So the federation left him the keys. Papa Piqué was not even there for the birth of his baby on Monday. He has a job, he had to go to train. Once again, I have trouble following.
And then, we do not understand anything at the team tennis competitions. In January, we restart the ATP Cup. Exactly the same format as this Davis Cup. What interest for players, two similar events? And for the public, it's illegible. I know that you have to give the product a chance. But there is no room for both competitions. So here we have a Davis Cup that starts, and we do not even know if there will be a second edition. We are told 'new formula, same spirit'. I call it, the spirit, but for now the table has not moved. "