Chapter 1027 Sandwich Bread

In the Davis Cup, the world group can be simply called the championship group; while the regional group can be called the "promotion/relegation group".

Three large areas, the interior of each area group, can be further divided into four groups:

One group, two groups, three groups, four groups.

Every year, the competition is carried out between countries in the same group. Those who win will be promoted to a higher-level group; those who lose unfortunately will be relegated to the first-level group.

Here, there are two keys.

First, the winners of one group will face off against the teams that lost in the first round of the world group. The winners will enter the world group, and the losers will be relegated to the first group.

Among them, there are four places in Europe and Africa, two places in North America and South America, and two places in Asia and Oceania. A total of eight names have advanced to the world group.

The losers of the second and fourth groups will not be relegated, because there is no more level to be relegated below.

The detailed competitions of the world group and the regional group can be basically divided into four rounds if they are more specific and in-depth:

The first round can also be called the knockout round, because the losing teams need to play play-offs to strive to remain in their original group qualifications.

The fourth round, for the teams that have advanced all the way, is a championship battle and a competition for promotion qualifications; for the teams that lost in the first round, they will continue to compete, but they will not compete for the championship , but a relegation battle. Once they lose, they will be relegated. The world group will be relegated to the regional group, and the regional group will drop level by level.

Because of this, confusing keywords often appear in media coverage of the Davis Cup.

Such as relegation.

Like play-offs.

For example, the world group and the Asia-Pacific group.

For example, why are the teams that have been eliminated before still playing?

For example, after the defending champion lost in the first round, he was relegated to the bad situation of relegation?

Etc., etc.

But after sorting it out carefully, it is equivalent to the Super League, First Division, Second Division, and Third Division of European football leagues, and the whole system immediately became clear.

It is not difficult to understand.

Huaxia men's tennis has been declining, but this is equivalent to world tennis. In Asia, it is not the best but not the worst.

In 2007, Huaxia Men’s Tennis fell into a trough. After losing the first round of the regional group competition, they lost to Kazakhstan in the playoffs. They failed to relegation and were relegated to the second group. This is also the darkest and most depressed some time.

But then, in 2008, after China Men's Tennis defeated New Zealand, they returned to the ranks of the regional group, and have never fallen out of the ranks since then.

In the Asia Oceania region, Australia, India, and Neon are the traditional strong teams. Kazakhstan, Kimchi, Uzbekistan, etc. also have excellent competitiveness. In one breath, the last layer of window paper could not be pierced.

In recent years, Huaxia Men's Tennis has advanced to the final round three times in the regional group competitions, and is only one step away from the play-offs. However, they lost to Kazakhstan in 2010, Australia in 2011, and Uzbekistan. All broken halberds.

In other words, in these years, Huaxia men's tennis has not even entered the play-offs to advance to the world group, let alone advance to the world group.

Such a situation does not seem to be unfamiliar—

absolute! Absolutely no connotation of any other item is meant.

This year, Huaxia remains in the regional group. The seeded teams in the same group are Uzbekistan and India. In addition, there are Kimchi, New Zealand and Thailand in the same group. In the end, six countries will determine two teams to participate in the world group. Play-offs, to fight for the chance to enter the world group next year.

Here, there is a key question!

If the Davis Cup and Confederations Cup are the only way to the Olympics, then the status is naturally different, it should be popular among professional players, and there is no conflict of interest with the ATP and WTA, and the relationship should be particularly harmonious. .

However, this is not the case.

Every year, there are countless voices complaining about the Davis Cup and Confederations Cup system; conflicts between ITF, ATP, and WTA always exist.

The reason is as simple as it is complex: conflict of interest.

The most important thing is the schedule.

The ITF's schedule is a separate system, which has also caused their schedule to conflict with ATP and WTA, and has been controversial.

Generally speaking, there are a total of four Davis Cup events throughout the year.

For the first time, around February to March, each group of the world group and the regional group will have their own knockout rounds.

The second time, look for a slot between April and July.

The third time, around September.

The fourth time, around November to December, the world group will have finals, and the regional group will have a play-off to decide to advance to the world group.

In recent years, the ITF schedule has gradually become fixed:

The first time is often scheduled for the week before Indian Wells; the third time is often scheduled for the week after the end of the US Open.

In this way, is it really good?

Before the "Sunshine Double Championship" was about to come, players flew long distances to another venue to compete, and then traveled around to return to North America to compete.

The U.S. Open has just ended, and the players have not adjusted their status at all, so they need to go to the competition non-stop, and the Shanghai Masters is just around the corner.

The ATP and WTA have been criticized for their dense schedules, and now the ITF has crammed extra games into the airtight schedule and used Olympic qualifications as a bargaining chip, which also makes players miserable because of fatigue. There are more and more injuries caused by participating in the competition.

In this regard, the ITF, ATP, and WTA are all steadfast and firm. Both sides are very tough, so that players have become a dilemma.

In fact, the middle-level players ranked around 100 in the world are the most difficult—

Those top players, because of abundant funds and free time, whether they reject the ATP event or the Davis Cup, the follow-up impact will not be great.

Those low-ranked players may not be eligible to participate in those top ATP events at all, and the Davis Cup is a choice without any worries.

There are only those players in the middle who can’t get better or worse. On the one hand, they need to continue to participate in the competition to strive for income and points;

Like this week.

They need to play in the Davis Cup, but then, win or lose, go to Indian Wells for a qualifying round for a chance at the Masters.

"Exhausted", this word suddenly became vivid.

For Gao Wen, this is not a difficult choice—

He longed to be able to fight for his country.

Although tennis is an individual sport, when he wears the national flag on his chest and steps onto the field, the feeling is different after all; and he has always been looking forward to his ability to step on the Olympic field, and the quadrennial event will be another A challenge.

Just imagining it makes my blood boil.

Gao Wen was a little curious. When he was standing on the court, not representing an individual, but representing the glory of the country, what kind of feeling was that kind of excitement and excitement that he was not fighting alone?

At this time, Gao Wen officially embarked on a journey. Before going to Indian Wells, he went to Auckland first to represent China in the Davis Cup for the first time!

(end of this chapter)