In Novak Djokovic’s opinion, a hybrid of the previous and current Davis Cup formats would be the ideal choice. The new Davis Cup format was unveiled in 2019. The ITF claimed that something needed to change when they first announced their intentions to alter the format, citing the declining popularity of the competition.
However, some individuals harshly criticized the new change, so the idea was not well received. The Davis Cup format was announced to have changed by the ITF five years ago, but some people still feel strongly about the changes. The main source of concern with the new format is specifically the elimination of home-and-away ties, with the exception of the qualifiers.
This week, Djokovic arrived in Malaga for the Davis Cup Finals 8 and shared his thoughts. He said: “I know there has been a lot of debate about this topic. I know there was a lot of criticism when Kosmos changed the format. On a personal level, I think the best format would be something in between the old and the new, because I don’t think this is the best for all the nations participating in the World Group. The fact that we have not played in Serbia for many years is not good; we do not give the people of Serbia the opportunity to see us play, especially the younger ones.”
Djokovic further emphasized and said: “I think we should all have something to say because so far no one from the ITF has contacted us. I think it is something that should be changed because we are an integral part of the competition and we can provide fascinating information. Surely we all have different opinions, but I think that home and away ties have made the Davis Cup famous. Now, giving a country the chance to host the Finals for five years in a row is a bit much, in my opinion.”
"In my opinion, I think the best format will be somewhere between the old and the new. (…) I think home and away matches are a historic characteristic of the Davis Cup."
Novak Djokovic, on the Davis Cup format pic.twitter.com/CoAmOLl4dE
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) November 22, 2023
Novak Djokovic in 2023
LWWWWWWLWW Currently ranked no.1, Djokovic played his last match on the 19th of November when he overcame world no.4 Jannik Sinner 6-3 6-3 in the final in the Nitto ATP Finals to win his 98th career title.
Currently, during this season Djokovic has achieved a 55-6 win-loss record. Djokovic clinched 7 titles in 2023 in Adelaide, Australian Open, French Open, Cincinnati, U.S. Open, Paris and the Nitto ATP Finals. Novak was the finalist in Wimbledon.
