These days International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced changes in Davis Cup format. Since now competition takes place 4 time per year with knockout system. There are 16 national teams in World Group (the strongest division) that starting from kast-16 round go to victory in whole tournament. Games take place on the ground of one of opponent team. Every game consists of 5 matches: 4 individual and 1 pair. Every match is played before one of the team win 3 sets (so called 5-sets system because max quantity of sets is 5).

Starting from 2019 World group tournament will be held in one place during 1 week in the end of November (in 2019 – from 18 to 24 November). In 2019 the venue would be chosen among Lille and Madrid. 18 teams will take part in tournament: 4 semi-finalists of previous year (for now it is Spain, France, Croatia and USA), 12 winners of qualify round plus 2 teams with wild-cards. They would be divided into 6 groups with 3 teams in each one. There would be 3 matches between teams: 2 individuals and 1 pair. Every game will have 3 sets as a maximum. 6 group winners and 2 best teams among second places will go to last-8 round of play-off. Two worst teams from group round will go to Group 1 next season. Other 8 teams + 4 losers of quarterfinal will take part in qualify round next year with 12 teams from Round 1.

Davis Cup scheme is presented in next ITF video

This decision is connected with the desire to increase the spectator interest, as well as encourage top players to participate in this tournament, as now the best tennis players ignore the games for the national team due to small rating points and low prize level. However, the players' reaction to the changes can not be called unambiguous, a number of athletes consider innovations to be successful, while others are skeptical about this.

Changes in the Davis Cup became possible thanks to the participation of the company Kosmos, founded by the Spanish football player Gerard Pique and the head of Rakuten Hiroshi Mikitani. Kosmos has signed a 25-year contract with the international tennis federation for $ 3 billion, and Kosmos will invest the tournament for $ 120 million per year. Such investments will increase the status and prestige of the Davis Cup, and by the size of the prize, it will be almost similar the Grand Slam tournaments, it should attract the best professionals and in turn it will increase the spectator interest.

And what do YOU think will such changes help Davis Cup to become real great tournament?