Davis Cup started in the year 1900 when four Harvard University tennis players conceived of a tennis challenge between USA and Great Britain.
One of them, Dwight Davis, invested $USD1000 of his own funds in a trophy, and he was immortalised with the tournament named after him.
Belgium, France, Austria and Australasia (combined team of Australia and New Zealand) joined a few years later. Slowly more and more countries joined, and currently as many as 135 countries participate.
While USA and Australia are the traditional heavyweights, there are many new kids on the block, such as current champions Argentina, and runners-up Croatia.
Davis Cup’s unique format allows previously unheralded teams to battle for glory. The eight quarter-finalists this year are Serbia, Great Britain, USA, Argentina, Spain, Croatia, Italy and the Czech Republic.
At present, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) is planning to reduce Davis Cup matches from best of five setters to best of three. The initial proposal has already been taken, and if ratified by two-thirds of the full membership of the ITF at the annual conference at Ho Chi Minh City in August, then the 2018 Davis Cup will see best of three-set matches.
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The reasons cited are to increase top player participation, to increase spectator interest and shorter attention spans of audiences, and to retain TV audience.
But this is a bad idea.
Have we forgotten the 2015 Davis Cup, when Andy Murray preferred to play the Davis Cup final on slow clay at Ghent, Belgium, even though he played the ATP World Tour Finals on hard courts a week before? In fact, Murray clearly stated that he would prefer to train for the Davis Cup on clay, but the Tour Finals were mandatory.
Have we forgotten the stellar contributions of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to Davis Cup? Have we so soon forgotten Roger Federer’s joy in winning the Davis Cup in 2014, with Stan Wawrinka as his teammate?
The argument that top players don’t prefer Davis Cup is clearly incorrect.
It is also fallacious to assume that spectator interest will increase once five-setters are reduced to three. Interest in Davis Cup is because of tradition and because countries aim to be the best in the world – people want to see their country doing well. It has nothing to do with the number of sets.
Reducing the sets to three will dilute and devalue the importance of the event. Let the Davis Cup’s attraction of patriotism and tradition continue. For both, continuing with five set matches is a must.
Johnno
Guest
I'd like Davis-Cup every 4 years and really build it up, i think the grand-final should now only be 5-sets. I wouldn't mind merging both Davis Cup and Fed Cup, have best of 7 matches. Day 1- mens and women's singles (1 tie each Day 2: Men and women's double's plus a mixed doubles Day 3: Mens and women's singles 1 tie each)
clipper
Guest
Think that may be a good compromise, although maybe just the final as 5 sets. The season is just so long and congested as it is that any plan to encourage the top players to participate has to be worth a look.
Ritesh Misra
Roar Guru
Absolutely Ipsit. It is so easy to come up with something new. But tradition of 117 years will vanish in a puff
Ritesh Misra
Roar Guru
Hugh Clarke. That could be a via media. Maybe leave the semi-finals and the finals for 5 setters and the 1st 2 rounds for 3 setters
Bandy
Roar Guru
As I said in Kate Smart's article on the same issue, Davis Cup has fallen away over the years as prize money for other tournaments gets bigger, and the top dogs don't always play. You can hardly blame them, in a season which is 11 grinding months long, do you play first round davis cup, possibly two five-setters in 3 days, when there is little points or prize money on offer, and when there is a chance you lose next round? The bodies of the top players are already too overworked with the current schedule - a change to three sets is a no-risk chance to see if they can attract more of the top guys more regularly. A great move with little to lose given it is falling away for the top guys. Leave the final best of five - then you still get your classic and traditional matches at the end when it really matters.
Ipsit
Guest
Will hate to see this tradition crumble.