ATP and ITF join forces to add Davis Cup to schedule
ATP
Next year's ATP Tour calendar will see The Davis Cup added to it after a deal was announced between the men's governing body, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and tournament promoters Kosmos.
The Davis Cup, described by the ATP in their statement as the 'World Cup of Tennis', will continue to award no ranking points despite joining the roster of the elite of the men's game.
The partnership officially brings the ATP and the ITF together across the team competition Davis Cup for the first time in the 122 years of it running.
ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said in a statement announcing the deal that this can only be a positive for men's tennis.
She said: “Our focus is always on creating the best possible experiences for our fans and players.
“Delivering compelling international team competitions that dovetail with the year-round calendar and continue to innovate is a vital part of that.
“The Davis Cup has an incredibly rich history and we’re excited to see this important new alliance drive the event forward from 2023.”
The move came after the announcement last week that the ATP Cup, a joint venture between Tennis Australia and the ATP, was being replaced by a mixed-sex $15-million event featuring teams from 18 nations to kick-off the 2023 season.
This year’s Davis Cup Finals involved 16 nations competing in four groups across Bologna, Glasgow, Hamburg and Valencia. The knockout stages will be held in November in Malaga.
With the new deal, the Davis Cup Finals and Qualifier will take place in weeks five, 37 and 47, with increased promotion on ATP channels.
The Finals will continue under its existing format, offering $15 million in player prize money in 2023.
David Haggerty, ITF President said: “This announcement heralds an important new alliance between the ITF, Kosmos and ATP which further strengthens the importance of team competition and Davis Cup’s unique role in elite men's professional tennis."
And Enric Rojas, Kosmos Tennis CEO added: "It is a very important agreement for all three parties and especially for the players. In the last three years, the format of the competition has been improved to reach a greater number of fans, generate a greater impact and facilitate the participation of the best players in the world. We look forward to seeing the event grow even further in the coming years.”
