It is currently uncertain whether the current Davis Cup format will still exist beyond 2024. After the long-term deal with Kosmos collapsed after five years, the signs point to innovation.
The most important preliminary decision as to how the traditional competition will continue will be made next Sunday: September 24th. The new (or old) ITF president will be elected in Cancun.
The candidates are the American David Haggerty, who has been in office for eight years and who also engineered the Kosmos deal, and the German association president Dietloff von Arnim.
“The old or new president should then think carefully about how to do the format. If it stays the same as it is now, he has something to make up for, the new one could bring in a new wind,” said Melzer.
Lack of spectators is a long-term problem
Among other things, he was also referring to a video that Stan Wawrinka posted this week from the duel between Switzerland and France at the group venue in Manchester. This showed the yawning emptiness of the stadium. The lack of home and away mode ensures few spectators, unless the host of the group also has a team at the start.
“If Switzerland plays against France, then you play in front of a minimum of 7,000 people. This format only works if a home team plays. I hope that a better solution can be found,” Melzer has a clear opinion on this.
ÖTV President Martin Ohneberg said openly in an interview with the APA that they wanted to support Dietloff. “If we have the opportunity to support a neighboring country in the presidency, then we will do it. That opportunity doesn’t happen that often, we Europeans have to stick together,” said the Vorarlberg native and added: “Our direction is clear. Overall, we have to “We want to see that we can bring more professionalism into the ITF.”
“Causa Kosmos” is still not completely resolved
There is still “a lot left open” regarding the terminated contract with Kosmos.
Ohneberg doesn’t know whether something went wrong with the large sums promised. “I couldn’t say that funds were embezzled, I’m too far away from that. The whole thing ends up in arbitration. That in turn is to the detriment of the sport and doesn’t help tennis at all.”
Haggerty has a bad hand in the election because his promises from 2018 did not hold up. This is probably why Ohneberg has decided on the new applicant. “Dietloff has a great program, some innovative thoughts and also has some new ideas for the Davis Cup.”
2023-09-17 09:17:06
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