Top players and ATP want overhaul of Davis Cup

TURIN, Italy :Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are among the world's top players calling for the Davis Cup to return to its traditional home-and-away format and be staged over two years, a proposal backed by ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

The old format of home-and-away ties played over a few days every year was scrapped by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in 2019, and this year's Final 8 in Bologna begins two days after Sunday's ATP Finals decider in Turin.

Sinner, who is into the ATP Finals last four and was part of the Italy team which won the last two Davis Cups, ruled himself out of selection this year to concentrate on preparations for his Australian Open defence.

"I never unfortunately played the Davis Cup, the real Davis Cup, where it's away, playing in Argentina or in Brazil with the whole stadium, not against you, but for the other team," Sinner said after his win over Ben Shelton on Friday.

"It can happen that Australia plays against U.S. next year in Bologna. You don't have this Davis Cup feeling."

The relentless calendar and lack of a proper off-season is an ongoing debate and the Professional Tennis Players' Association filed a lawsuit against the sport's governing bodies in March, describing the situation as unsustainable.

"I think playing with this schedule, Davis Cup, it's difficult that you have every year from every country the best players in the world," Sinner said.

"What I would like is having Davis Cup throughout two years. You can set up the semi-finals in the beginning of the year and the final at the end of the year."

World number one Alcaraz, who is competing for Spain this year and is also into the last four of the ATP Finals, was asked about the Davis Cup after his win over Lorenzo Musetti on