ATP CEO Chris Kermode rejected suggestions of an ATP "land grab" when launching a new $15M team competition to start in Australia in Jan. '20, according to Martyn Herman of REUTERS. Details of the ATP Cup, as it will be known, were revealed at London's O2 Arena on Thursday, where Kermode was joined by Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley and Novak Djokovic. The new event, "seen as a threat" to the Int'l Tennis Federation's revamped Davis Cup, which will start with an 18-nation finals in Madrid next November, will take place over 10 days in three Australian cities. The six-week gap between the two competitions was earlier this year labeled "insane" by Kermode. On Wednesday, Djokovic suggested that it would result in "two average events." On Thursday, however, Djokovic "put his weight behind the ATP Cup." He said, "I like that it's owned by ATP, by the players." The rival events have put the ATP, which runs the men's Tour, and the ITF on a "collision course." Kermode said, "The issue is timing, being so close, I get that. But there seems to be a fixation that the ATP Cup has caused the issue with the Davis Cup which is not the case" (REUTERS, 11/15). In London, Mike Dickson reported Kermode said that "cordial discussions had taken place among the sport's alphabet soup of leadership" in London on Tuesday, and he "still believes that the situation can be resolved in the future." Tiley, who also has a major role in the Laver Cup and runs the Australian Open, maintained that having three men's team competitions is "sustainable." He said, "We know fans love team events" (DAILY MAIL, 11/15).
