‘I’m very very happy’ – Barcelona defender Gerard Pique declares new Davis Cup format a success

Davis Cup chief Gerard Pique

Gerard Pique has declared the Davis Cup a success after an, at-times, difficult week for the newly revamped tournament.

For the first time this year, the Davis Cup was held as a week-long ‘World Cup of tennis’, with Barcelona defender Pique at the helm.

There were scheduling issues and questions over the atmosphere, as well as debate over whether it too heavily favoured the hosts Spain, who eventually won it, but Pique believes the players made it work.

“When we started, we said: ‘New era, same soul’. I think that the best thing that we can keep from this year is the soul.

“How the players, they cried when they lose. These kind of emotions are just so unique and we have to preserve them.

“So I’m very, very happy that this happened all this week. We are very excited to work very hard for next year and to organise an even bigger and better event.”

It was, at times, challenging for organisers, especially getting crowds in any time that Spain weren’t playing.

That, though, is something that Pique says they will try to put right for next year.

“This is the first event of the new format. I think that a lot of people didn’t know what to expect or they didn’t know how the format will go.

“All the countries have brought some fans. And all we want to do for next year is to try to attract them to bring much more people.”

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