International Tennis Federation to try and create a season-ending World Cup of Tennis

The world of Tennis has seen a lot of development in the recent years with players like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams have helped promote the game to a whole new level. But tongues were set wagging this week when Kosmos, an investment group founded by Spanish international footballer and Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique handed in a three-billion-dollar proposal to the International Tennis Federation for the establishment of a season-ending Tennis World Cup.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will put to test to form a season-ending World Cup of Tennis which could feature up to a total of 18 countries. The matches will be played over a week at a single venue in the traditional week of Davis Cup final in November, which will abolish the home and away format ties in the elite World Group.

The proposal was approved by the ITF Board of Directors and will be put to vote in August in Orlando but it will need at least two-thirds majority to become a reality. However, Indian tennis player, Mahesh Bhupathi has highlighted the importance of the Davis Cup amidst all this speculation.

"Davis Cup is special and all the top players have committed to it at some point. Like every sport, tennis needs to be driven by innovation and revenue and if there is a three billion dollar opportunity there is no way it can be ignored regardless of the sentiment.

"Top players always play for their country when they are fit and healthy. A case in point is Rafa (Rafael Nadal) who just played even when he missed Indian Wells and Miami (Masters events). It's not about Davis Cup. If a player is injured or tired they miss the biggest events in the world as well like you saw at the London Masters few years in a row," Bhupathi told PTI.