Todd Woodbridge rips ITF over new Davis Cup format

With the Davis Cup set to be moved to Abu Dhabi beginning next year, several critics of these new plans by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have spoken out, with former doubles No.1 Todd Woodbridge being against the move.

Woodbridge echoed the sentiments of Lleyton Hewitt, who had earlier stated that the Davis Cup would be "selling it's soul" if it made the move to the Middle East.

“As Lleyton said this week, they sold their soul," Woodbridge said, per 2GB - Sydney Talk Radio. “There is no history involved in it, there is nothing that any of us … grew up and were a part of.

“If you wreck the most historic competition in the game, you probably need to resign and move on”.

Hewitt has been quite outspoken against this new format, that would see the Davis Cup being held in Abu Dhabi over the next five years.

“The Davis Cup was held in the highest regard, up there with the pinnacle of our sport in tennis — with matches played over five sets," said Hewitt. “We threw that out the door and then we’ve thrown the home and away out the door as well.

“Playing a qualifying tie here or there, best of three sets, is not the same as having home and away, main draw matches over the year. So if they’re going and selling the soul of the Davis Cup to the Middle East for another five years, I think it’s ridiculous, and they’re really killing the competition."