Barbara Rittner has harshly criticized the planned reform of the Fed Cup by the world federation ITF. The national coach, who celebrated her 45th birthday on Wednesday, does not believe that most players support the planned changes.
“I’m not a fan of all those thoughts. The ITF really seems to be all about money, and I find that really sad,” said Rittner these days in Stuttgart. The German Tennis Federation (DTB) supports ITF President David Haggerty’s plan to expand the Fed Cup World Group from eight to 16 teams from 2019. However, it is not only Rittner who is against the plans of the World Federation to solve the scheduling problems arising from the increase by a so-called Final Four tournament at the end of each season (November).
“I think it’s a shame,” Rittner complained, “that the ITF is unable to sit down with the WTA and find a fourth date.” This would be necessary to reach the semi-finals after the first round (February), the quarter-finals (April) and the final (November).
“They always say the top players don’t want the fourth date. But I think I have two on the team who say that we would like such an additional appointment,” said Rittner with a view to Angelique Kerber and Julia Görges. One possible date for the semi-finals would be the weekend after the US Open in September.
The World Federation wants the Final Four to take place in a neutral location within a week. The forthcoming reform is to be adopted at the ITF General Assembly in Orlando/Florida in August.
“One must also bear in mind that an additional date would only be for four and not for 16 nations. Somehow nobody seems to understand that”, Rittner explained and said about Haggerty: “I find it disrespectful when he then announces something like the Davis Cup – and sells it as something great.
The Davis Cup is also to be reformed – this had also led to a wave of protests. The plan of the ITF is to have a so-called “World Cup of Tennis” of the best 18 nations played, which from 2019 is to take place annually within one week in November.
Rittner had also found clear words for this. “This is how the traditions of this competition are broken,” said the head of women’s tennis (“Head of Women’s Tennis in the DTB) and long-time Fed Cup team boss tennisnet, “this proposal is more reminiscent of a 2.0 version of the former World Team Cup in Düsseldorf”.
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