ITF Gets Letter From 'Top Players' Threatening To Skip Davis Cup

Sources confirmed that "top players" wrote a letter to the Int'l Tennis Federation saying that they "will refuse to play in the new Davis Cup format," which will be played in Nov. '19 in Madrid, according to L'ÉQUIPE. The letter is a "setback" for promoters who have "based their project on the presence of the best players" (L'ÉQUIPE, 10/24). RT reported the names of the athletes who signed the letter "remain unknown." In August, the ITF approved the new format of the Davis Cup, which will feature 18 nations "fighting for the trophy during a week-long season finale." The new rules "sparked negative reaction" from some professionals and pundits, who claimed the competition "would be killed by the proposed reforms" (RT, 10/25).