A deal struck between the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and tournament promoter Kosmos Tennis will see the Davis Cup become a part of the ATP Tour beginning in 2023.
The new alliance will see the three organisations strategically collaborate on the competition’s governance and evolution, with the ATP granted two of the six seats on the Davis Cup’s newly formed event committee.
The inclusion of the Davis Cup finals and qualifiers on the ATP calendar will allow athletes better opportunity to plan their annual schedule when selected to compete for their national team in the tournament.
The tournament finals will otherwise remain unchanged, with a $15 million prize for the winners in 2023.
Commenting on the deal, ATP Chairman, Andrea Gaudnzi, said: “Our focus is always on creating the best possible experiences for our fans and players.”
“Delivering compelling international team competitions that dovetail with the year-round calendar and continue to innovate is a vital part of that.
“The Davis Cup has an incredibly rich history and we’re excited to see this important new alliance drive the event forward from 2023,” he said.
ITF president, David Haggerty, added: “This announcement heralds an important new alliance between the ITF, Kosmos and ATP which further strengthens the importance of team competition and Davis Cup’s unique role in elite men’s professional tennis.”
“Part of the Olympic Qualification pathway, Davis Cup is the largest annual men’s team competition in the pro tennis calendar where team are officially selected by their nation,” he said.
Kosmos Tennis CEO, Enric Rojas, also added: “It is a very important agreement for all three parties and especially for the players.”
“In the last three years, the format of the competition has been improved to reach a greater number of fans, generate a greater impact and facilitate the participation of the best players in the world.
“We look forward to seeing the event grow further in the coming years,” he said.
The deal follows as popularity in tennis grows, with the Women’s Tennis Association securing its largest ever sponsorship deal earlier this year.
