LONDON (AP) — The Davis Cup Finals will expand to 11 days from seven in 2021, and the International Tennis Federation is considering holding the competition in three European cities instead of just Madrid.
The ITF announced Monday that the international men’s tennis team event will run from Nov. 25 to Dec. 5, with 18 countries participating in six groups of three.
The number of nations reaching the finals will be cut to 16 in 2022.
Under the proposed three-site setup, the two new cities each would host two group stages and one quarterfinal matchup. Madrid, where the current season-ending format made its debut in 2019, would have two group stages, two quarterfinals, the semifinals and the final.
The ITF said there will be an open bidding process to pick contender cities that could join Madrid in 2021.
A decision on which additional hosts to accept — and whether to even add extra sites at all — is expected by March, depending in part on where things stand with the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2020 Davis Cup Finals in Madrid were called off because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
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