"Things evolve and we need to get used to it" says Fernando Verdasco after Zverev Davis Cup format comments

The Spanish player serves as the tournament director this year and in that capacity, he responded to some of the criticism the event has endured. In his response, he singled out Alexander Zverev who was harshest in his criticism of the event noting that this rendition is not the true Davis Cup and he will never play again until it reverts back to its original format.

Verdasco said:

“Many people are used to the old tradition and that is why they do not approve of this new format. Zverev, for example, is one of those who has said that he dreamed of winning the Davis Cup for a lifetime … but things evolve, just as there was no Hawkeye before and now there is. We will all have to get used to it, there is no other choice.”

In his interview with Eurosport Verdasco explained that this change in format is one that was asked by players for many years. He explained:

“When I played the Davis Cup, all the players complained asking for this new format, we wanted a Davis Cup of ten days at the end of the season and not have to play four qualifiers spread throughout the year. Sometimes you went from playing the Australian Open, to playing indoors to Belarus and then to South America on clay."

He continued:

"In three weeks you were playing on three different surfaces, the worst for a player. The factor of playing at home or playing outside was very good, in a stadium of 8,000 people you had the public with you or you had it against you, that made it special. But if we talk about the calendar, we all asked for this format …”