Djokovic favours reforms in Davis Cup

Novak Djokovic has added his voice to those calling for a reform of the Davis Cup format, with the world number one favouring a more concentrated competition for the worldwide team event.

In addition, the men’s top seed at the ATP and WTA Miami Masters would also like to see the Australian Open played a bit later in the season.

The eight-time grand Slam winner said he supports a pending proposal to add a tiebreaker to the fifth set of any Davis Cup rubber, which would end marathons such as the nearly seven-hour struggle at a March first-round tie in Argentina.

“I’m more in support of a tiebreak in the fifth set in any competition than for no tiebreak. That would be my answer on that,” said the 27-year-old Serbian.

“I support the fact to have a certain change in the sport, I think it’s the right time. As we evolve as a global sport, I think we should all strongly consider applying certain changes”.

Djokovic is adamant that the century-old Davis format, which is spaced out inconveniently over four weekend dates throughout the season, needs a shake-up.

“The schedule is, especially for top players, very, very bad,” he said.

Djokovic also laid into the ATP, voicing some fresh ideas for that tournament calendar.

“I still believe that Australian Open should be couple of weeks later, at least,” he said of the mid-January major which he won for a fifth time two months ago.

“To start off with a Grand Slam right away and the season hasn’t even started, and then to have a very long gap between Australian Open and Roland Garros (starting in late May) and then a very short one, it proportionately doesn’t make sense.

“But that’s the way the schedule has been officially present in our sport and we kind of play with it, but I’m always in support for new discussions and progress and change that can kind of revolutionalise the sport.”

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