Alexander Zverev is not impressed by the revamped Davis Cup competition, starting next week in Spain, and will not play for Germany.
Traditionally, the Davis Cup has taken place all over the world in multiple rounds being played over three days, but it is condensed into a week-long tournament.
Each tie will consist of two singles and one doubles match in a best-of-three tiebreak sets format.
Zverev feels the event, with more than a century of history, has lost its meaning.
“I don’t think the format is Davis Cup any more,” said Zverev after his ATP Finals win over Daniil Medvedev on Friday in London.
“I think Davis Cup is the most historic event that we have in tennis, which is over 100 years old, and Davis Cup is the home-and-away ties. That’s Davis Cup for me, and not playing it at one venue for one week and deciding it all.”
It will feature 18 teams in six groups of three with the four-man winning team reportedly receiving 2.4 million dollars ($A3.5 million) from a total pot of more than $US20 million ($A29 million).
Germany are in Group C with Argentina and Chile.
Top two players, Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Serb Novak Djokovic, hope they will be injury-free after a tough week of singles at the ATP Finals.
Nadal played two matches that lasted almost three hours each against Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, despite coming to London with an abdominal problem.
However, Nadal said it was a priority to play at his best alongside his countrymen at home after being knocked out in the group phase of the Finals.
“I go to Madrid with positive confidence that I am playing better and better,” he said.
“For me was important, more than being in that semi-finals. I never played a tournament like this. But of course, it is something special, something new, and when it’s something new, you need to be ready for something unexpected.”
Spain are drawn in Group B with Russia and defending champions Croatia, while Djokovic’s Serbia feature in Group A with France and Japan.
Djokovic pulled up holding his elbow before he was eliminated at the ATP Finals in straight sets on Thursday by Roger Federer.
“I hope it’s nothing that will really not enable me to play Madrid,” he said.
The 32-year-old has not played a Davis Cup match since 2017 and was part of the 2010 winning team.
“I am motivated to join the guys and play there,” Djokovic said. “They are my dear friends, all of the guys in the team, and I can’t wait to feel that team spirit.”
Groups D to F comprise Belgium, Colombia and Australia; Britain, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands; Italy, Canada and the US.