• Davis Cup

Davis Cup to remain an annual event

ESPN staff
November 19, 2012
Francesco Ricci Bitti says the Davis Cup is 'attractive enough' © PA Photos
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The head of the International Tennis Federation insists the Davis Cup requires no overhaul after a thrilling final in Prague.

Radek Stepanek was the hero as Czech Republic defeated defending champions Spain 3-2 to lift the trophy for the first time since 1980.

Currently played across four weekends in a season, critics believe the Davis Cup should be changed to a biennial competition like golf's Ryder Cup to reduce demands on players.

But while ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said the Davis Cup committee would weigh up all feedback and consider the changes, he insisted the competition was "in good shape".

"Davis Cup in our opinion is attractive enough, as you have seen here this weekend," he said. "We don't need so much to worry about the attractiveness of the competition.

"There is obviously a Davis Cup Committee that is considering all the time continuously, all input coming from many parts. But before changing something that is working very well, we have to be very, very conscious, obviously, considering all the pros and cons. I believe the attractiveness is very high. We are in a good shape.

"[The current set-up] is absolutely is the best format we can have, if you talk about the format of the match in a tie. If you talk about general formats, there are many considerations, and I can assure you that the Davis Cup committee and the board of the International Tennis Federation, we are very, very conscious about that. We consider input every day."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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