Week 37 - 2024 Davis Cup Finals, Finals Group Stage - Manchester (Indoor Hard)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Week 37 - 2024 Davis Cup Finals, Finals Group Stage - Manchester (Indoor Hard)

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

This September25 format change to x8 home or away ties also shifts the balance back to singles in a x5 rubber structure, very different to the QF, SF and Final all played on a single day in x3 rubber format, where the dubs becomes super critical. It's all a bit contrived shifting format like this between stages to shoe horn them in.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

As regards Evans, fair play to him in recognising his relative level when compared with the options now waiting in the wings, Fearnley, Norrie, Harris, Patten etc. In some ways I think Smith will find it easier to manage these younger players with Murray and Evans generation moving on if this is the case. Draper was of course lacking energy but I did feel Evans was no where near his level Sept23, he was outstanding last year, got us through last year, our top player by a margin.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

The ITF sells out to the Chinese...

Paragraph covering the format changes already set in stone for next year:

While an announcement about the new hosts is not expected until later this year at the earliest, the ITF has already finalised a change to the format in 2025. Rather than a group stage involving 16 teams in September, eight knockout ties will be held on a home-and-away basis to decide which countries progress to the finals. This will follow a similar phase in the existing February qualifiers.

Money makes the world go around,/ the world go around,/ the word go around,
Money makes the word go around,/ it makes the world go 'round

...A mark, a yen, a buck or a pound,/ A buck or a yen,/ A buck or a pound.
Is all that makes the world go around,/ That clinking, clanking sound/ Can make the world go 'round

9vicman · Satellite level

Smudge226 wrote:
This September25 format change to x8 home or away ties also shifts the balance back to singles in a x5 rubber structure, very different to the QF, SF and Final all played on a single day in x3 rubber format, where the dubs becomes super critical. It's all a bit contrived shifting format like this between stages to shoe horn them in.

Personally I don't think it's contrived. It would be reverting to two rounds of home-and-away, which most nations prefer, before a Final 8 in November.

I think it's easy to have a short term memory on this subject. Before the format change, players and nations were complaining that they had to play too often, and very few fans outside the two competing nations were interested in the Davis Cup Final.

While you are never going to capture the atmosphere of a home-and-away tie at a fixed venue, Malaga has shown that it can work, and the event attracted greater media coverage.

As for doubles, in the home-and-away format the doubles is always live as it is played as the third match at the start of the second day. In the Final 8, the doubles is often dead if a nation has a winning 2-0 lead and might not even be played.

-- Edited by 9vicman on Tuesday 17th of September 2024 01:13:01 PM

9vicman · Satellite level

JonH comes home wrote:
So two rounds of home and away and finals NOT in Malaga, hurrah

Where would you host the Finals Jon? In terms of accessibility, it's a pretty good hub for fans from many countries, and that's the biggest challenge for a neutral venue.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
So two rounds of home and away and finals NOT in Malaga, hurrah
Where would you host the Finals Jon? In terms of accessibility, it's a pretty good hub for fans from many countries, and that's the biggest challenge for a neutral venue.

Geographically, yes it works, it was more in terms of atmosphere and size of crowd; it obviously needs to be one of the countries playing in the finals, but my comment was more on the basis of Spain having had it for a few years now and that doesnt feel right for a "World Cup" of tennis event.

So it was more a hurrah, not in Spain comment than suggesting anywhere better - anywhere but Spain!!

Seriously, though, countries that support Davis Cup in a big way for me would be France, Italy, maybe somewhere like Croatia or Serbia, Germany. Although not sure many of them are in the finals - of those who made it this year - Argentina, Canada, Australia, Spain, USA, Italy, Netherlands and Germany - Italy or Germany maybe? Italy have the ATP Finals, so maybe Germany.

But, as I say, it was more not Spain for next year than anywhere I feel would be better...

9vicman · Satellite level

JonH comes home wrote:
9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
So two rounds of home and away and finals NOT in Malaga, hurrah
Where would you host the Finals Jon? In terms of accessibility, it's a pretty good hub for fans from many countries, and that's the biggest challenge for a neutral venue.
Geographically, yes it works, it was more in terms of atmosphere and size of crowd; it obviously needs to be one of the countries playing in the finals, but my comment was more on the basis of Spain having had it for a few years now and that doesnt feel right for a "World Cup" of tennis event.
So it was more a hurrah, not in Spain comment than suggesting anywhere better - anywhere but Spain!!
Seriously, though, countries that support Davis Cup in a big way for me would be France, Italy, maybe somewhere like Croatia or Serbia, Germany. Although not sure many of them are in the finals - of those who made it this year - Argentina, Canada, Australia, Spain, USA, Italy, Netherlands and Germany - Italy or Germany maybe? Italy have the ATP Finals, so maybe Germany.
But, as I say, it was more not Spain for next year than anywhere I feel would be better...

Yes that's a fair point Jon. The difficulty of course is finding venues that can attract fans from as many countries as possible. That's always been the case, but under the old home-and-away format, fans could travel long distances knowing that they could see their country play for three days.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
So two rounds of home and away and finals NOT in Malaga, hurrah
Where would you host the Finals Jon? In terms of accessibility, it's a pretty good hub for fans from many countries, and that's the biggest challenge for a neutral venue.
Geographically, yes it works, it was more in terms of atmosphere and size of crowd; it obviously needs to be one of the countries playing in the finals, but my comment was more on the basis of Spain having had it for a few years now and that doesnt feel right for a "World Cup" of tennis event.
So it was more a hurrah, not in Spain comment than suggesting anywhere better - anywhere but Spain!!
Seriously, though, countries that support Davis Cup in a big way for me would be France, Italy, maybe somewhere like Croatia or Serbia, Germany. Although not sure many of them are in the finals - of those who made it this year - Argentina, Canada, Australia, Spain, USA, Italy, Netherlands and Germany - Italy or Germany maybe? Italy have the ATP Finals, so maybe Germany.
But, as I say, it was more not Spain for next year than anywhere I feel would be better...
Yes that's a fair point Jon. The difficulty of course is finding venues that can attract fans from as many countries as possible. That's always been the case, but under the old home-and-away format, fans could travel long distances knowing that they could see their country play for three days.

and that is a fair point - if you go to support your team for a week in Malaga or wherever, and your team loses on day one - youve got a whole week of hotels and flights booked to watch other countries play...which isnt good

Tennis Saltire · Junior player

I think we'll likely be seeded for the draw which I presume will be in November just after the finals so, as like most, a home tie would be good but I'd imagine we'd want to avoid Serbia, Norway and Japan.

It's also going to be on to see where the tie is played of it's a home tie because it's been in Glasgow previously but that's when Andy has played and the group stages have been in Manchester.

I wonder if they'll play it in Liverpool or possibly even back at Birmingham.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Stircrazy wrote:
The ITF sells out to the Chinese...
Paragraph covering the format changes already set in stone for next year:
While an announcement about the new hosts is not expected until later this year at the earliest, the ITF has already finalised a change to the format in 2025. Rather than a group stage involving 16 teams in September, eight knockout ties will be held on a home-and-away basis to decide which countries progress to the finals. This will follow a similar phase in the existing February qualifiers.
Money makes the world go around,/ the world go around,/ the word go around,
Money makes the word go around,/ it makes the world go 'round
...A mark, a yen, a buck or a pound,/ A buck or a yen,/ A buck or a pound.
Is all that makes the world go around,/ That clinking, clanking sound/ Can make the world go 'round

DC finals sold to China, yippee long haul for everyone..

It would have been bad enough sold to Abu Dhabi or Saudi, since they are buying and sports washing everything else but at least they could have had an outdoor event in November as with F1 and a potential holiday trip for Europeans in particular.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Well, China would also mark a low point in terms of crowd appeal and TV appeal for the European market (where most of the teams would come from). Bad move, ITF, if they follow through on this.

Mind you, how many years has Turin got left? That will join the DC in Asia (Middle East or China) soon enough and we will look forward to the tour upping and moving out there. With China in September and October for the current swing, wait for the European indoor swing to change around with the Asian swing in due course and we will get a full month of Chengdu, Beijing/Tokyo, Shanghai, some 250 event in Zhuhai, then the Tour Finals in Saudi and DC Finals in China again. Jack'll be so happy!!

Lambda · Challenger level

Home and away ties next September now confirmed. Host venue for finals not yet announced with bidding underway

https://www.daviscup.com/en/news/334766.aspx

-- Edited by Lambda on Friday 4th of October 2024 02:48:58 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

So, they have changed the format for 2025 and got rid of this group stage now in favour of home and away ties like the good old days.

www.daviscup.com/en/organisation/2025-format-explained.aspx

New format:

14 nations from this years last 16 are joined by 12 from World Group One to play 13 home and away ties in February as known

The 13 winners are joined by the 2024 Champions to make 14 teams that will play 7 home and away ties in the September slot that have been groups this year.

The 7 winners of those join the hosts in an 8 team finals

The home and away matches will be two days, 2 singles day one and 2 singles and a doubles day 2, all best of three sets

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Sorry, didnt see Lambda's post.