By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, June 26, 2020
The ITF has pulled the plug on the 2020 Davis Cup Finals due to the coronavirus crisis. The Finals will now be contested the week of November 22nd, 2021.
Photo credit: Davis Cup Facebook
Spain will reign as Davis Cup champion for another year.
The 2020 Davis Cup Finals have been cancelled due to the "considerable logistical and regulatory challenges that have arisen as a result of the [coronavirus] pandemic," the International Tennis Federation announced today.
More: Kyrgios Calls Out Djokovic's Dad
The 2020 Finals will now be contested the week of November 22nd, 2021 and named the 2021 Davis Cup by Rakuten Madrid Finals.
All 18 teams which have already qualified for this year’s Finals will compete at the rescheduled Finals in 2021, with the draw for the Finals remaining in effect.
The ITF said it opted to pull the plug on the 2020 Finals after a three-month review examining the challenges posed by the pandemic and "all potential hosting scenarios with the health and safety of all involved of paramount importance."
It marks the 13th time since Davis Cup inception in 1900 the Finals will not be contested.
Previously, Davis Cup Finals were not played in 1901 and 1910, 1915-1918 due to World War I and 1940-1945 during World War II.
ITF President David Haggerty said ultimately the health risk of holding the Davis Cup Finals as scheduled this November was too great.
"This is a tough decision to have to make, but delivering an international team event on this scale while guaranteeing the health and safety of all involved ultimately poses too great a risk," ITF President Haggerty said in a statement. "It is a complex undertaking and we have made the decision now to provide certainty for players, National Associations and fans.
"We look forward to continuing our partnership with Kosmos Tennis in order to deliver a fantastic competition next year.”
The cancellation means Spain, which defeated Canada in the 2019 final in Madrid, will reign as champion for another year.
The decision to cancel Davis Cup comes after Wimbledon cancelled for the first time in 75 years.
The US Open plans to play without fans or media as scheduled starting on August 31st.
Roland Garros is slated to start on September 27th.