Pique on revamped Davis Cup Finals format featuring Djokovic: ‘We are just where we wanted to be when we started’

Pique said that from his perspective it has been a tough but exciting year in getting everything ready and the latter is how the captains are also feeling ahead of it.

‘It has been a tough year but a very exciting year at the same time. There have been a lot of things to work on and [we have been] trying to convince everyone that this format is very important for the future of the competition,’ said Pique.

‘We are just where we wanted to be when we started. We’ve been talking to most of the players and all of them are very happy and available to play in November. We’ve been talking to the captains and they are very excited.’

He also hit back at comments made by Roger Federer who said he doesn’t want it to be made the Pique Cup.

He said that from his perspective it’s about giving back to tennis and that Switzerland haven’t even qualified for November so he cannot have any complaints.

‘This was a sentence that at the time was funny because there is no intention of doing that. I didn’t like that idea of using my name. I really understand that this competition is for tennis and for tennis players.’

‘All I wanted since the first moment I arrived in the tennis world, is to try to help this sport. Switzerland has not qualified for November so even if Roger wants to play in this event, he cannot, but we are talking with him and his agent to discuss the possibility to play in 2020.’

One player that will be involved is Novak Djokovic who he had convinced to play and Pique sees it as a good move to bring the ATP and ITF together.

‘Sitting down with him a lot, talking with him a lot. I said to him, ‘I know you are an ATP player [Djokovic is president of the influential ATP player council] but at the same time you represent the federation of Serbia, which is part of the ITF which invests in young talent and the future of tennis.’

‘I think it makes total sense that you participate in both competitions [the Davis Cup and ATP World Team Cup] because it is a message that at the end of the day that you want [for the ATP and ITF] to work together.’ He realized that and said that he wanted to participate in the Davis Cup, which is of course great news for us.’

https://twitter.com/daviscup/status/1172049836264316928?s=21