The International Tennis Federation (ITF, in acronym) has decided not to hold the Davis Cup Final 8 again for the moment in Malaga or in Spain (which hosted the Salad Bowl since 2019) due to the different and multimillion-dollar offers from other countries, none like China. But the tennis body understands that they cannot move the best rackets on the circuit so far, loaded as the calendar is with tournaments and trips, there are also complaints from players about the accumulation of matches. Thus, the offer that has taken the cake is Italy – the president of the ATP Andrea Gaudenzi already warned this two weeks ago – which is reaffirming itself as the greatest tennis power after having revalidated its laurel in Malaga this year after losing to Countries Low in the final, in addition to the number one and great dominator of the circuit this season, Jannik Sinner, and that the girls also won the country competition.
The news was announced this Monday from the headquarters of the International Federation in London, while the pairings for the playoffs 2025, which begin at the end of January (January 31 and February 1; or February 1 and 2). As revealed, Davis signed a multi-year agreement, with Bologna as the first headquarters and then a possible rotation with Milan and Turin, according to the Italian newspaper. La Gazzeta dello Sport.The Emilian capital had hosted the group stage until September this year and would still have had a guaranteed year from the previous allocation, but the ITF has decided to change the formula: no more groups, but away and home games. Bologna maintains its date with Davis for 2025 and Italy will hold the Final 8 until 2027.
It is the new step for Davis, which in 2018 underwent a revolution when former soccer player Gerard Piqué—through his company Kosmos—acquired the rights to the tournament to make it more dynamic, as he decided that the final phase would be resolved in a week with everyone participants in a city. In 2023, however, after the numbers didn’t add up, the link was broken and the ITF took over the tournament again. These last two years were won by Italy. Now, as for the playoffs 2025, the host of the finals will have a wild card(invitation). Everyone will be on their way to Bologna, Italy, which becomes the epicenter of the racket.
