Novak Djokovic Wants Davis Cup To Be Hosted Outside Spain

Serbian tennis icon, Novak Djokovic is not happy that the Davis Cup knockout stages always take place in Spain since 2018.

Novak Djokovic, who will represent Serbia against Britain in the quarter-final of the Davis Cup on Thursday, November 23, wants the knockout stages of the competition to move around the world instead of being held in Spain every year.

The Davis Cup has been played in a home-and-away format since it was founded in 1900, which has frequently led to partisan tensions and the absence of elite players.

Hence, the competition underwent a contentious restructuring, with the final round now serving as the season’s grand finale. All of this was a part of a 25-year, £2.15 billion plan funded by the Gerard Pique-led Kosmos investment group.

The Davis Cup which is described as the “World Cup of Tennis”, started the new format in Madrid, Spain in 2019 which featured eighteen teams. The Spanish city also hosted the 2020-2021 final of the competition.

The ‘Final Eight’ of the previous two editions were held at the Palacio de Deportes Martin Carpena in Malaga, Spain.

Even when the International Tennis Federation (ITF) ended its contract with Kosmos after less than five years in January 2023, the knockout stages have continued to be held in Spain.

In the 2023 edition of the Davis Cup, Spain didn’t qualify for the knockout stage but they will still host the final rounds of the competition.

Over the weekend, the semi-finals and final will be held in Malaga as eight countries are currently in Spain for the final phase of the competition.

Novak Djokovic who has won a men’s record 24 Grand Slam said: “This is a competition that is played globally.

“It shouldn’t stay in one place more than a year.”

The world number one tennis player added: “Everyone should have their say because so far no-one has been communicating with us from the ITF.

“I don’t think we all agree. We will have probably a difference of opinions, but the home-and-away ties are something the Davis Cup historically has been very famous for.

“Giving one nation to host the [Final] Eight for four years is too much. It has to travel.”