The ITF has decided to change its qualification rules for the 2016 Olympics. After the 2012 Games, a player must make himself or herself available to play Davis Cup or Fed Cup four times in an Olympic cycle. Currently, players only have to make themselves available for two ties in the two prior years to the Olympics.
Maria Sharapova has already gone on record with her objections to the changes. "I’m disappointed," said Sharapova, who added that some other players feel the same. "I met with the [ITF] one on one in Miami. They didn't listen to us at all."
However, the ITF sees it differently.
"The Olympics has become a very important part of the tennis calendar with most players looking at an Olympic medal as an honor close to a Grand Slam title, including the mixed doubles," ITF spokesperson Barbara Travers told TENNIS.com. "But the Olympics is not a regular tournament; it takes more than ranking to participate. In order to compete in the Olympics, every athlete must be in good standing with their national governing body. The mechanism to demonstrate the willingness to represent your country in tennis is by making yourself available to play Davis Cup by BNP Paribas or Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, something we acknowledge that most players have embraced. The reward is playing in the Olympics, which we feel should be a privilege reserved for those players who clearly demonstrate that playing for their countries is a priority. We also think the rule should reflect that tennis is an annual calendar and Davis Cup/Fed Cup are annual competition."
There are caveats to the rule to include depth of nation (which might affect those players who want to compete and make themselves available but are not chosen because their nation's rosters are too strong); long-term injury; newcomer (a player makes a big jump in the rankings but has never been asked to play previously); or playing in regional qualifying in Fed Cup, where the requirement drops to three times.
Another change is that the qualification window will start just after the 2012, Olympics so the upcoming September/November Davis Cup and November Fed Cup are the first opportunity for players to begin to qualify, as opposed to previous years, when the clock started at the beginning of the year following the Olympics.
The ITF could still make some amendments to the rule ahead of the ITF Olympic Committee meeting in June, where there will be discussions and the rule will be finalized.—Matt Cronin