As the Davis Cup Finals approach next November, ITF President David Haggerty has remained optimistic at the possibility of the ITF and the ATP creating on team event in the future.
The Davis Cup will receive a massive change next year as the World Group will take place in a one week Round Robin tournament next November in Madrid, with 18 nations competing for the Davis Cup trophy.
The reform which has been backed by Kosmos, which is founded by Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, has come in for a lot of criticism with the lack of transparency and organisation being a key issue.
Also there is a key scheduling issue with the tournament set to take place a day after the ATP World Tour Finals and a month before the ATP Cup.
In an interview David Haggerty has remained optimistic about the hopes of the ITF and ATP coming together to form one team tournament, “We also talked about the possibility and fruitful discussions about is there a way we can collaborate with one event instead of several events,” Haggerty told reporters in London.
“It may not happen right away, but it might happen down the road. It will take time for the ITF and the ATP to take some ideas. I thought the conversation was very positive. We want to do what’s better for Tennis. I’m optimistic that Tennis can come together to find a good solution.”
The American also addressed the key scheduling issue and hopes for it to be resolved sooner rather than later, “The challenges are the calendar as it is a busy schedule,” Haggerty explained.
“There is a lot that happens during the year so that is a concern with the health of players and the good of the sport. A number of top players have said that they will be competing in the qualifying round. They have said that if they win, they will make themselves available.”
Despite criticism about the scheduling and other issues regarding these radical changes, Mr Haggerty believes that these changes will work, “I get energy from something I believe in. The reforms from Davis Cup were needed and the Fed Cup will follow just behind it, from my perspective I believe we are doing the right thing.”
“The ITF has never just looked at things on money alone. To us we are the governing body of the sport, so we want to grow participation and interest in the sport.“
Whether his ideology will be successful is a question that will be answered in the next few years but for now Haggerty feels relaxed about his dream and believes in his radical project.
