(ATR) The ATP Tour’s decision to bring back its World Team Cup tournament to start the 2020 season is not sitting well with the International Tennis Federation.
The tournament, to be held at the beginning of January in partnership with Tennis Australia, will feature 24 teams and offer $15 million in player prize money in 2020 as well as ATP Rankings points.
As part of a revamp to the Davis Cup, the ITF is planning to introduce an 18-nation World Cup-style tournament at the end of the tennis season in November, beginning in 2019.
The two sides had been in talks to avoid having two similar tournaments held six weeks apart but the ATP announcement on Sunday made it clear there is no compromise.
The ITF, in a statement, says it will proceed with plans for its team event and lamented the ATP’s move.
"We do feel that this was an opportunity missed by the ATP to work together with the ITF in a beneficial and positive way for the whole of tennis.
"Our plan is transformative. It includes format changes to Davis Cup that were requested by the ATP Player Council in 2016 and it will create a world class finale to the tennis season."
The ATP did not address the issue in its statement but applauded the return of the World Team Cup, which had previously been held annually in Dusseldorf, Germany from 1978 to 2012.
"This event will enable us to kick off our season with a major team event, with minimal impact on existing player schedules at the start of the year," Chris Kermode, ATP Executive Chairman & President, said.
"We believe this outcome will deliver long-term sustainability not only financially but also from a player health perspective, which is critical. This event has huge potential and we now look forward to working together with Tennis Australia in bringing our vision to fruition."
Kermode had said in May that staging both tournaments within six weeks of each other would be "insane".
The ITF’s member federations are scheduled to vote on the Davis Cup changes at the annual general meeting in August. The ATP’s announcement could be aimed at convincing some federations, fearing that two rival team events six weeks apart won’t be sustainable, to vote against the ITF’s plans.
Written by Gerard Farek
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