Comment: Lost emotions for 65 million. Prague saw a sad transformation of the Fed Cup
The first year of the “new Fed Cup” renamed the Billie Jean King Cup confirmed the concerns of many opponents. The reformers have lost almost all their charm in an effort to expand the number of participating countries, make money and bring tennis competitions closer to new spectators. Let’s hope not forever.
It was a rather sad spectacle. Only domestic players and their opponents from the basic group, Germans and Swiss, can enjoy a decent atmosphere during the whole week in the O2 arena in Prague.
However, even this competition was far from what happened in the domestic matches of Czech tennis players in the past, whether it was hosted by Prague, Ostrava or Brno.
Even Thursday’s golden nail, a direct battle for promotion to six between the Czech Republic and Switzerland, was watched by a half-empty hall. The capacity was reduced to 12,000 people due to coronavirus measures, but even that was only about two-thirds full.
Friday’s semifinal fights were played without the participation of the Czech team in an intimate, undignified environment, and even the final between the Russians and the Swiss, of course, did not bring anything electrifying.
“I’ve always been against this format, but of course we can’t complain because we played at home. It was a holiday for me and I believe that for girls as well, ”knew the embarrassing evaluation from the Czech captain Petr Pála.
Prague was praised for organizing the event in an accelerated regime, when it took over the organization in the summer instead of the place originally intended for Budapest. The April deadline changed to November and Prague was a clear choice.
The ITF management relied on the event, for which the Czech government released 65 million crowns from the budget reserve, to get a dignified backdrop thanks to traditionally excellent and enthusiastic Czech supporters. But that did not happen.
Billie Jean King Cup is simply not a Fed Cup, a weekday is not a weekend. The matches ended around midnight, which was not even heard by the tennis players themselves. Tickets were too expensive for fans, especially in relation to the severely chopped cast.
Only five players out of the world’s twenty came to the metropolis after an apology shower.
In this light, the evaluation of ITF President David Haggerty seems to have witnessed a “fantastic tennis week” somewhat boldly or directly detached from reality.
The Fed Cup received a big blow with a new guise. Just like before, the men’s Davis Cup, whose first year under the talented bag of the Kosmos investment group, was partly saved by Gerard Piqué’s footballers, who only triumphed in home two years ago in Madrid with the superstars Rafael Nadal.
If the Czechs played in the finals on Saturday in Prague, the overall picture would certainly improve. But you can’t rely on it.
The pursuit of innovation has seemed strange and self-serving here from the beginning. The old format of both the Davis Cup and the Fed Cup was ingenious with its simple system, each duel brought a dignified fan backdrop. Every national union has come up with its own, especially in non-grand slam countries, it has always been the top event of the year.
“It’s always been about the domestic audience. Whether it was matches in Serbia or Argentina, whenever I remember it, I have goosebumps. It was a unique atmosphere. And that’s why we played the team competition,” he hit the nail on the head. Radek Stepanek. Even before the start, it was clear to him that “a few people” would come to “non-Czech” matches.
“It was the same in the final of the new Davis Cup in Madrid. Yes, it’s great for the home team. A unique opportunity for Czech girls, but probably the last for many years. Instead, they could play three times a year at home, “said the two-time Davis Cup winner.
The way back, of course, still exists. But to protest persistently, they must be the most influential stars. In words, but perhaps also by boycott. Ideally as authentic as the German Alexander Zverev persistently holds. While the dissenting responses of other stars time and high rewards have eroded the edges, the opinion of the third player in the world remains rock solid.
“I have to change the format and I stick to it. I’m someone who keeps my word. I want to win the Davis Cup, but I want to win the real Davis Cup, “he said a few weeks ago.
The quality of such an event, with more respect, defines other things than from the point of view of the waving legend of Billie Jean King. The lost emotions that made millions of fans around the world loved the team competition just can’t replace them.