The draw for the first round of the 2019 World Group and the awarding of the final wild cards in the Davis Cup has put at least one man in euphoria: The president of the world federation.
David Haggerty makes you optimistic. And what else is there for the President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF)? So the final tournament for the Davis Cup 2019 will be a great, unprecedented, groundbreaking spectacle, or in Haggertys words: “A festival.”
“It will be a chance for the best players and the best teams to play the Davis Cup,” the American continued.
That is at least optimistic, if not a little naive. The fact that Switzerland, for example, were not offered a wild card for the big final next November suggests that Roger Federer will not be appearing in Madrid or Lille. And in the home match against Russia at the beginning of February only if his eligibility for the Olympics 2020 is in question.
So Federer is unlikely to join in the celebrations, any more than Alexander Zverev, who reaffirmed his non-participation in an event last November at the Laver Cup. Germany drew a pleasant draw with Hungary, even though Marton Fucsovics played a strong year in 2018.
With a view to the current top ten, Grigor Dimitrov and Kevin Anderson will also watch the grand finale, if at all, from a distance: Neither Bulgaria nor South Africa are in the draw for the World Group.
The next question mark is right behind Rafael Nadal, who in the past years, as in this one, would rather have his peace at the end of the season. Or rather: must have. Novak Djokovic did not declare himself a friend of the new format either, especially as the Serbs first have to win in the Czech Republic. A performance there could be connected to Djokovic’s performance at the Australian Open – which should be positive after the last impressions.
Dominic Thiem enjoyed the Graz experience very much, the Chileans with the strong Nicolas Jarry are not unbeatable. However, Thiem has already delivered an enormous amount of matches in the current season, and if this were to be the case in 2019, the team spirit would have to carry him to the final.
Remains as banner bearer, with all his love for Marin Cilic and his permanently qualified Croats, Juan Martin del Potro. The ITF apparently hopes so much for this year’s US Open finalists that they have assured the Argentinians a secure place in the final. Now del Potro has cancelled his participation in the Laver Cup due to injury, the Argentinian’s schedule is known to be very sparse.
Finally, the second Wild Card is inseparably linked to the name Andy Murray. Rather with the hope of his speedy recovery and a re-strengthening of the former world number one. But the free ticket for Great Britain proves at least one thing: the ITF is not resentful. After all, the British association was one of those who voted against the new format. At least officially.
David Haggerty is unaffected by this. “The new final will raise the Davis Cup competition to the same level as the Grand Slam tournaments in terms of both prestige and prize money.” All right, then.