Roger Federer hits out at Gerard Pique over Barcelona defender's role in new Davis Cup format
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Loading... - Daisy Chapman
- 30 Aug 2021
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Roger Federer has told Barcelona star Gerard Pique to butt out of tennis over the his role in the radical new Davis Cup format.
Spain defender Pique’s group Kosmos are behind changes which will turn the team event into a week-long World Cup-style competition.
He was even given time off by his club to attend the International Tennis Federation’s AGM in Orlando where proposals for the new Davis Cup were agreed.
The new-look tournament would include one round of home and away matches in February followed by a week-long event with 18 participating nations.
Pique said recently that the final stage could take place in September rather than November and cause a potential clash with the Laver Cup, a competition run organised Federer and his Team8 management group.
Federer said: “I have not spoken to Gerard Pique yet, but I admit that it’s a bit odd to see a footballer arrive and meddle in the tennis business.
“Be careful: the Davis Cup should not become the Pique Cup. I am globally for innovations: our sport needs to think a little outside the box to innovate.
“But it’s a bit like in a part of Jenga, you have to be careful not to remove the room that will bring down the whole building.
“Sometimes things have to change, or they have the risk to die. I can understand for a very traditional tournament like the Davis Cup, it’s difficult for people and they have doubts.
”Everyone agrees that change has to be done, but there are some people who think it needs other changes and that is something I can understand.
“The good part of all this confusion is that everyone will have to sit around one table and listen to the other’s desires: the ITF, the ATP, the Laver Cup. It is true that the coming weeks may be very interesting.”
