World No.15 Denis Shapovalov has questioned the timing of the inaugural ATP Cup, saying it is “strange” to hold it so soon after the revamped Davis Cup.
The 20-year-old admitted it felt weird preparing for the 10-day, 24-team ATP Cup to be held in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth from Friday, barely a month after helping steer Canada to the Davis Cup final in Spain.
“I think the timing is interesting. I think it is a little bit strange to have it at a similar time as Davis Cup,” he said in Brisbane on Wednesday.
“It is a weird feeling playing a world championships then coming into another event that is pretty much the same thing.
“We will see how it pans out.”
While he looked forward to testing himself out in the new tournament ahead of the Australian Open, Shapovalov said ideally there would be only one “world championship” on the calendar each year.
The ATP Cup launched the new tournament after the Davis Cup received a controversial makeover in November.
The new-look Davis Cup featured an 18-team, World Cup-style event in Madrid with the winners of six groups progressing to quarter-finals along with two best runners-up.
It received the makeover after Barcelona and Spain footballer Gerard Pique’s Kosmos company acquired the Davis Cup rights from the International Tennis Federation for the next 25 years for $4.4 billion.
“It would be great just to have one event that is a world championship,” the Canadian said.
“A month ago we played the world championship and now it feels like we are playing another one.
“It would be great if they could organise and make one big event, make it a unique and special tournament.
“Hopefully they can come to terms together and make something happen.”