Andy Murray among big names to back World Cup plan
Friday 12 May 2017 17:12, UK
Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have all offered support to plans for a tennis World Cup backed by Barcelona star Gerard Pique.
The Daily Mail reported Pique, who is a big tennis fan, met with ATP officials in Madrid this week to discuss the idea, and he already has some powerful allies.
"I've tried to speak to him a couple of times," Murray said. "We've exchanged messages but we haven't actually spoken in person or on the phone about it.
"Doing new things in tennis is never easy, there's always a lot of obstacles, but I think that it's a really exciting idea.
"If it comes off I think it would be a very, very good thing. Tennis needs an event like that."
The proposed tournament will be of concern to the International Tennis Federation as, if it comes off, it could prove a real threat to the Davis Cup.
The leading players have increasingly shown a lack of commitment to the historic competition and have been frustrated by a perceived reluctance on the ITF's part to make changes to the format.
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Pique's idea is to have an event played at one venue over 10 days, which would impact less on the busy schedules of the leading players than the Davis Cup, which is held over four weekends throughout the year.
Djokovic has long voiced support for such a structure in Davis Cup, and he said: "I spoke to Gerard here (at the Madrid Open).
"He's a great guy and I have tremendous respect for what he has achieved in his football career.
"To see one of the football greats coming to the tennis world and trying to support it personally, but also in some structural business way, can only bring positives to our sport. Hopefully it's going to come to life."
Nadal is hoping the proposals will encourage the ITF to push through changes to the Davis Cup.
A change in format for singles matches from best-of-five sets to best-of-three is expected to be approved at the ITF's AGM on August 4 but that is the only imminent alteration.
ITF president David Haggerty is keen to move the final to a neutral venue but that is not popular among the players.
"I have had really great moments in the Davis Cup. They were unique moments. I'll never speak badly about the Davis Cup," Nadal said. "The ITF, It's true that during a lot of years we have had some managers that were ruling the ITF that didn't do anything at all. They haven't adapted to the new days that we have today. They haven't looked for solutions.
"Now there is a new president, a new council. I'm sure they will try to do things. I think that's what we need right now."
This year will see a new team competition in the shape of the Laver Cup, backed by Roger Federer and Tennis Australia.
Staged in Prague from September 22-24, the Ryder Cup-style event will pit a European team featuring Federer and Nadal against a rest of the world side.
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