Alexander Zverev Leaves Door Open for Playing the Davis Cup This Year

World No. 7 Alexander Zverev has been quite critical of the new condensed Davis Cup format but has left a small chance open that he may play in the event this year.

In an interview with the website Nau, Zverev said, “If we don't play a tournament by November and it's the first tournament in Madrid, I would be eager to play tennis again. That's why we have to have a look."

The German though says he is still not a fan of new Davis Cup format and would have loved to play for Germany under the traditional Davis Cup format. "I always say that I love to play for Germany and hopefully I can do all three disciplines at the Olympics. I also like to play the ATP Cup and I appreciated the Davis Cup - as long as it was the real Davis Cup."

Last year, the ITF introduced a new format of the Davis Cup - where 18 teams compete in Madrid at the end of the season - moving away from the traditional home-and-away format that had been established for several decades. The 23 year old did not play for Germany in the Davis Cup last year where the Germans went down to Great Britain in the quarter-finals. "I just think it's not the real Davis Cup anymore."

Zverev made his Davis Cup debut for Germany against the Czech Republic in 2016. He won his first Davis Cup tie in 2018 against Australia before the Germans went down to Spain in the quarter-finals. He also helped Germany defeat Hungary in the qualifying round last year.

Zverev was the champion at the 2018 ATP Finals and reached his first Grand Slam semi-final at the Australian Open in January this year. He has won 11 ATP career singles titles to date. 

As a junior, Zverev was a former world No. 1, and won the junior 2014 Australian Open title.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/35gRljX