Davis Cup 'disgrace' enrages Aussie legend

1 year ago 54

Australian tennis legend Todd Woodbridge has launched a withering spray astatine Davis Cup organisers aft the last was won by Canada, which wouldn't person reached the decider if it hadn't been talented "a second-chance wildcard".

Canada defeated Australia successful the Davis Cup final successful the aboriginal hours of Monday greeting (AEDT) erstwhile Felix Auger-Aliassime downed Alex de Minaur.

But the Canadians would not person contested the decider if the International Tennis Federation hadn't fixed them a wildcard into the finals successful March — a privilege afforded to them contempt a 4-0 hammering astatine the hands of the Netherlands successful the qualifying round.

A spot successful the finals needed to beryllium filled erstwhile Russia was chopped owed to its warfare connected Ukraine, but Woodbridge believes a victor from the second-tier World Group I should person received the right.

Woodbridge, a subordinate of Australia's triumphant 1999 and 2003 Davis Cup teams, unloaded connected tourney bosses connected 2GB's Wide World of Sports Radio.

"I'm going to dependable similar a sore loser, but I don't truly care," Woodbridge said.

"Canada and the ITF (International Tennis Federation) ... Canada shouldn't person adjacent been successful the final. They mislaid successful April. They were fixed a second-chance wildcard to play successful this event. You bash not triumph the Davis Cup connected a 2nd chance; you person to effort again adjacent year. But they person a superior asterisk against their name, which is unfortunate.

"I astir apt presume that the ITF would person liked Australia to triumph the competition.

"If you're going to alteration rules mid-year, it doesn't clasp the aforesaid values arsenic it did erstwhile before."

Canada downs Aussies successful Davis Cup final

The Australians qualified for a Davis Cup last for the archetypal clip since 2003.

Alex de Minaur, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Matt Ebden and Max Purcell represented Australia successful the Davis Cup finals successful Spain.

Woodbridge slammed the ITF's determination erstwhile it was made nationalist successful March, astatine the clip calling it a "disgrace".

US Davis Cup skipper Mardy Fish said successful September that the Davis Cup "isn't an accumulation lawsuit wherever we marque up rules arsenic we go. Davis Cup has been astir implicit 100 years."

At the aforesaid time, 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick said it would beryllium "tough to see them (Canada) legitimate" if they went connected to win.

"To Lleyton (Hewitt) and our boys: good done, you did it the close way, you fell conscionable a small spot short," Woodbridge added.

"But to the remainder of them: I anticipation they each spell backmost successful a boardroom and enactment retired the rules decently for adjacent year."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!