Davis Cup CEO Says Organizers Working on Changes for Next Year
Javier Alonso, the Chief Executive of Kosmos Tennis, says that the organizers of the Davis Cup would go back to the drawing board once the tournament gets over in order to improve things for next season. Several players, both past and present, have criticized the tournament in relation to technical issues, the scheduling of matches and smaller crowds.
Alonso commented, “Again, it’s the first edition. We make a plan, and now that we have the reality, we can go back home on Monday and start thinking about what has not worked well and how we can improve those things that have not worked well. We knew that the mornings were difficult. Not only here, everywhere. But it’s learning again. Now, with the experience, we will do it differently next year. We need to improve the way it works so we don’t have (ties) of eight hours, which we like because at the end of the day it’s exciting, but it’s not possible that we finish at 4 a.m. We have to try to minimize these types of things happening. We have to sit down and see what we can do."
Alonso also said that organizers should have conducted the opening ceremony on Sunday rather than Monday. “If we had put the inauguration show during Open Day on Sunday, after the training of Spain, it would have been packed. We had 8,000 people here. The show was amazing.” Popstar Shakira is expected to perform at the closing ceremony on Sunday.
On Canada's controversial decision to forfeit its doubles tie against the United States on Tuesday as it had already secured a spot in the quarter-finals and wanted to avoid further injury to its team, Alonso commented, “That’s difficult, but we have to sit down and find a solution. I agree that it’s not fair. We have to find a solution for things that are not fair, and this was not fair.”
Speaking about the move away from the traditional format to the new format, Alonso commented, "Overall, players are happy. We are showing that the format works. All of them are enjoying being part of the Davis Cup, representing their nations and their federations. Spectators are enjoying it. It’s a new format, they have to learn what that means, which is not easy, but it’s happening.”
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