Davis Cup: Italy to host Finals for the next three years

The Davis Cup, the world’s most prestigious and longest-running team tennis competition, is set for a significant change in the coming years. Italy has secured a major achievement: hosting the Davis Cup Finals until 2027. This decision represents a milestone for Italian tennis and brings renewed enthusiasm for a historic tournament that brings together national teams from around the globe.

The Davis Cup format, which underwent significant changes in 2019 under Kosmos management, will partially return to its original structure, resembling the version fans grew up with while keeping some recent innovations. The most notable adjustments will focus on the qualification phase, reintroducing the home-and-away format.

In 2025, the first round of qualifiers will take place from January 31 to February 2, featuring 26 nations in head-to-head matchups. Teams will play on a home or away basis, with ties consisting of two singles matches (best-of-three sets) on the first day and two additional singles matches and a deciding doubles match, if needed, on the second day. Winners will advance to the second round in September, following the same format, to fight for a place in the Finals.

The Finals, which remain the climax of the competition, will retain their structure of quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. However, the exciting news is that Bologna will host the Finals in 2025, from November 18 to 23. This is a tremendous honor for Italy, which will host the decisive stages of the Davis Cup for three consecutive years.

As defending champions and host nation, Italy will automatically qualify for the Finals. This privilege allows Jannik Sinner and his team to focus on competing directly for the title without going through the qualification rounds.

Additionally, the Netherlands, which reached the 2024 final, will also be granted direct access to the second stage of the tournament, set to take place in September. These two countries, alongside Italy, are key players in ushering in a new era for the Davis Cup.

The 2025 season will kick off with an intense series of qualifying matches to determine which teams advance to the second round. Some of the most intriguing ties include: