Davis cup is expected to move to Abu Dhabi

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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ITF expected to approve decision next week

Players and captains should have say in future of Davis Cup, says GB’s Leon Smith

The Davis Cup national team tennis tournament is poised to move to Abu Dhabi on a five-year deal, according to The Telegraph.

Investment group Kosmos, the Davis Cup’s main backer, has reportedly agreed to move the finals to the Middle East from 2022. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is set to approve the choice at a board meeting in Madrid next week.

Saudi Arabia had previously been linked with hosting duties, though The Telegraph states that Kosmos has settled on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a ‘slightly more palatable option’, with Abu Dhabi serving as the main base for the tournament.

Even so, considering the Middle East is hardly known for its tennis talent, there are concerns over the Davis Cup’s ability to attract crowds should it move to Abu Dhabi.

Speaking at a press conference in Innsbruck, Austria earlier this week, Great Britain captain Leon Smith called on Davis Cup organisers to listen to players and captains before making any further decisions about the future of the competition.

Innsbruck and Turin join Madrid as Davis Cup Finals hosts

“It’s got such history, gravitas. No one can control what’s happened here, but we can control what happens in the future with it and, if you talk to any of the players or the captains who’ve experienced the atmosphere, the environment is so important, whether that’s home, whether that’s away, but it’s got to be full crowds, it’s got to be what’s best for the players and the schedules,” said Smith.

“I understand that things had to change, and between the ITF and Kosmos they’re still trying to find what’s going to work best, but I think there’s got to be an open dialogue about what happens next in this and still trying to find a solution to make sure this remains one of the most important things in the calendar.

“For someone like myself, I’m hearing that some things might be happening next year, but I’m only hearing it second hand. If it’s true what potentially might be happening, I think it would be good to be able to talk about it before any decisions are made.”

The BBC adds that a 2022 Davis Cup Finals in Abu Dhabi would be played at multiple venues and could stretch to 12 days. The competition would not finish until early December, meaning next year’s event would clash with the 2022 Fifa World Cup in nearby Qatar.

Moving to the UAE would hand Kosmos a significant hosting fee, not to mention stability after reportedly suffering heavy losses on the 2019 event. However, there is a risk the Davis Cup will become less attractive if top players, potentially disenchanted by the move, choose not to play.

A five-year deal with Abu Dhabi would also likely delay any potential merger between the Davis Cup and ATP Cup. The ITF and ATP have held preliminary talks over the move.

The group stages of this year’s Davis Cup Finals, which began on 25th November, are being held in three different countries – Turkey, Austria and Spain – with Madrid hosting the last five days.