After the Davis Cup, the Fed Cup is also about to undergo major reform. The investment company Kosmos, led by Spain’s football star Gerard Piqué, plans to take over the most important team competition in women’s tennis. The company had promised the world federation ITF the payment of three billion US dollars over the next 25 years for the Davis Cup deal.
Apparently, the Davis Cup and the Fed Cup are planned to take place in parallel at one location. “The ITF has asked us to watch the Fed Cup and think about it. We want to merge the two competitions at some point,” said Kosmos managing director Javier Alonso according to dpa figures in Madrid.
Kosmos’ medium-term goal is “to host the Davis Cup, Fed Cup and Junior Davis Cup at the same venue in the same week,” Alonso added. The transfer of rights will probably only be a formality.
The reform of the Davis Cup had caused great criticism. The winner of the traditional competition will be determined from 2019 in a one-week final round in November – starting with 18 teams. Several stars such as Alexander Zverev had already announced that they would not participate because of the unfavourable date.
In 2019 and 2020, the XXL tournament will be held in Madrid at the end of the year. In the qualifying round, the German team will meet Hungary in Frankfurt/Main on 1 and 2 February.
Last weekend the 106th and last Davis Cup final of “its kind” was played in Lille. Croatia won 3-1 against host France. “If these people call it the Davis Cup next year, it’s nothing but a lie,” said Yannick Noah, the charismatic French captain, “don’t be fooled: The competition is dead.”