Only Federer can all unite

ATP Final, Davis Cup final tournament, ATP-Cup: On the tennis buff is a concentrated load in the next eight weeks. How can he based there?
The experience shows that you root, if your own players and leading professionals such as are. From a Swiss point of view, the is with Federer in London, the Davis Cup Final and the ATP Cup in Switzerland is. What to do with the Fan? He just has to consume Tennis . (laughs)

Is it all too much?
of Course, it is too much. Especially for the players. I was at the WTA final in Shenzhen, and saw four of the nine game moved inside injured back. Therefore, we are also looking for an earlier date for the Davis Cup final event. In the summer of next year, we will decide where we go from 2021 geographically and date-uniformly.

How is the trend?
There are different models. I was two months ago, with Federer in Horgen, and said to him: "You play a role in these plans. You can do a lot to help, because you have the Laver Cup, a tournament at the Start."

his Manager Tony Godsick Was also?
no. We meet once per year, under four eyes, in order for us to share. We are planning a half-hour, but then it usually takes two hours. He must have an interest in the developments. If, for example, we should decide from the International tennis Federation (ITF), to go with the Davis Cup Final in the Laver Cup week, there would probably irreconcilable differences.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in Laver Cup. (Photo: Keystone)

the ITF is Looking for this confrontation?
This is a scenario we want to avoid. Therefore, it is essential that we are soon all at the table. Federer Godsick, David Haggerty (President of the ITF), I, and the ATP with the new Chairman's Andrea Gaudenzi. That was my appeal to Federer. He is the Only one who can unite us, and the ultimate say: "Guys, we make a Meeting and brainstorming of how we make the tournament calendar to be able to make, that all have a place." I said to him: "in My opinion, you shouldn't watch, or your Manager can make. Because you're a professional and authentic agent."

Knew Federer already, that he returns to the Players’ Council of the ATP?
Yes. A good development, I think. Also, that Rafael Nadal is back.

What is his long-term interest? The Laver-Cup back up?
I think so. Where he's likely to think holistically, while his Manager Tony Godsick will represent a primary self-interests.

"We was in the ITF's days among us, of the ATP never been someone with us."

you said recently in the NZZ: "We in Tennis to make public, a pathetic figure. We mangle each other." Who bristles against a cooperation?
the fact is: it does not take place. We in the ITF's days among us, of the ATP someone with us was never there. And Vice-versa. Not even our President was invited to a Meeting of the ATP. In the case of women it works better. As the ITF President in the WTA Board. Therefore, it's going so well. We have to get the new Fed Cup final tournament in Budapest (starting in 2020) well, talk with women tour even WTA points. In the Olympic games.

Could it be that the WTA conversation is ready, because she is in a weaker Position than the ATP, the experienced with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic a Golden time?
back Blind eight, ten years, since the ATP was on the verge of bankruptcy. It's wave movements. And what happens when the three occur?

Even within the Tennis world Federation, there are divisions. Why?
The waves, the there was because of the Davis Cup Reform, have smoothed. The Problem is that the Australians do what they want just. Regardless of partnerships, losses, and memberships.

The winner of the last ATP final Alexander Zverev. (Image: EPA)

you mean the ATP-Cup?
This is a break in the history of the responsibilities for the competitions. Originally, we agreed that the ITF makes the team competitions and the ATP and the WTA tournaments. The Australians are now planning a counterpart to the ATP Cup for the women. You just want to cement their data. These one-sided tendencies of the ITF must counteract definitely, by binding the Australians back.

The ITF and its new contract partners cosmos by Gerard Piqué plan for 2021 a Majesty Cup for the men with 10 million dollars for the winner. This is not a team competition.
no. But he is held in the ITF are entitled as a former Davis Cup week. And we also don't offer everything.

All want to cut a piece of the tennis pie. But the Whole is not exhausted at some point?
At the sponsors, not yet. What happened at the Davis Cup Final in Madrid look: We had BNP Paribas as title sponsor, with a low double-digit millions amount annually. The from rose. This amount has doubled in the cosmos locker, with a new model with eight sponsors pay an average of between 3 and 4 million. Then you're at 30 million. The investors: the Chinese sovereign wealth Fund, Rakuten (an Internet giant), and Larry Ellison come.

"It is the base crumbles."

many players are reaching their limits.
Yes, for the players it is maxed out. And the Foundation is crumbling. At the small tournaments, the 250S, is not a top player anymore without a considerable Antrittsgage. The ATP needs to take care of your Mittelbau. If the smaller of the approximately 70 ATP tournaments in deficit, and 20 to 30 disappear.

cosmos is guaranteed by the ITF for over 25 years, 3 billion dollars, which makes 120 million per year. Floats of the world Association is now in the money?
It flows yeah the whole money to us. Among other things, 18 million go to the prize money for the Davis Cup final tournament, and around 40 million in the organization, additional funds flow to the state associations.

Is not to become the Davis Cup however, to pique the Cup, as some fear? What to say to the ITF to?
It is still the Davis Cup. Renovate, we had to take him anyway, with or without Piqué. I think the new formula is good and easy to understand. In addition, each national Association receives massively more money.

Can pique decide that the final tournament will be extended to two weeks and 24 Teams, of which he speaks?
no. In the case of basic things, the steering Committee decides where the ITF has the casting vote.

footballer Gerard Piqué and ITF President David Haggerty (R) attend the draw ceremony of this year's Davis Cup. (Image: Samuel de Roman/)

Piqué is as a professional footballer, not without controversy in Tennis. How are you to him?
He is a Good one. Because first of all he is a sportsman, not a Investor who just wants to exploit the Tennis. He has a Vision. Secondly, he has the right network of relationships, otherwise he would not have brought the money together. I acted as the chief financial officer of the ITF with our President and give him the main contract, signed it also. I think his Vision is great. By the way, he is received with this investment, a big risk. He loves the Tennis, even if he has with Federer selectively disagreements.

Between Piqué and Federer was there from the beginning, tensions and communication problems. Could you give as a Swiss and ITF Vice-President there?
In this case I'm not on anything. It is as if two of my friends have a fight. I would say that Makes the to each other, you're a grown-up. I can Strauss, no commands to Bring him a Rose.

"The Davis Cup has undergone a huge transformation – for the Good."

What do you expect from Davis Cup final tournament in Madrid? The presale is not going to run very well.
The Davis Cup has undergone a huge transformation – for the Good. We are distributing this week to 18 million, the same as the men at the French Open, in singles and in doubles. Only it's at about 90 players at the French Open to 300 to 400. And except for Federer and Zverev all that are not injured. I'm curious to see how the Davis Cup arrives. The games of the Spaniards, the semi-finals and the Final are sold out.

you were at the WTA finals. There was not many spectators, but there is the next ten years a record in prize money. Someone said: Now the Chinese are fattening us to later eat. This development is not sensitive?
it pains Me to say it also, if the stadiums are half empty. No matter what your sport is. But if this is just a build-up phase and leads to the fact that the stadiums in five, six years are full and there are worldwide a lot more tennis fans? The future must this point.

Created: 08.11.2019, 07:00 PM