Stars determine Davis Cup's future, says Lucas Pouille.
The French Davis Cup hero says if stars bail, the new Davis Cup final will fail.
Federer: Fight Fuels Flight
"We'll see how things turn out next year," Pouille told the media in Paris after his opening exit at the Rolex Paris Masters. "If Federer, Zverev, Djokovic, all the top players do not play, I don't think it will take place."
The International Tennis Federation will debut its 18-team, year-end World Cup-style Davis Cup final at La Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain during the week of November 18-24th of 2019.
Publicly, players have expressed disparate views over the new Davis Cup format.
Davis Cup hero Marin Cilic, who led Croatia to next month's Davis Cup final vs. host France, says “99.9 percent of the players” support the change because it will shorten the schedule.
Pouille, who clinched the 2017 Davis Cup for France, says he will boycott the new format when it debuts next year.
"It would become an exhibition and I do not play for France as part of an exhibition. It would not be the same feeling at all,” Pouille said. "There is also a question of money and I do not see the point of going there if the tournament is held the last week of November."
A year ago, Pouille swept veteran Steve Darcis, 6-3, 6-1, 6-0, to clinch France's 3-2 conquest of Belgium in the Davis Cup final in Lille.
When France returns to the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille for the November 23-25th final against fourth-seeded Croatia, it's uncertain Pouille will even be on the squad.
Since falling to Roberto Bautista Agut in the Dubai final in March, Pouille has suffered eight opening-round exits as his ranking has dropped to No. 32. Pouille said given his poor form, he's not a likely candidate for a starting spot, but reiterated if captain Yannick Noah selects him, he will play next month's final.
"I cannot say you're making a bad choice if they choose someone else, but I will be attending if they ask me to be there," Pouille said. "I will give my utmost. And then it's the captain's choice. I'm not concerned. I have no choice anyway. I just have to wait and see what Yann will say."
Photo credit: Davis Cup Facebook