The Lawn Tennis Association "will leave it until the 11th hour before making a decision on whether to vote for or against the proposed radical Davis Cup reforms that have caused a political storm in tennis," according to Stuart Fraser of the LONDON TIMES. While "many nations," including the three others that host a grand slam tournament, have already "made clear their respective positions on Thursday's crucial vote" at the ITF's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., the governing body of British tennis "will not decide until a board meeting on Wednesday." Sources suggested that the LTA is "leaning towards voting in favour of the format changes," which would transform the 118-year-old competition into a "World Cup-style event." The LTA recently held discussions with "prominent" British players to gather their views. Andy Murray is understood "not to have taken a stance against the changes," although he has "expressed concerns about the reduction of the home-and-away element to only one qualifying round at the start of the year." The consultation process has not extended to longtime British tennis fans, "to their understandable disappointment" (LONDON TIMES, 8/13).
