After post-midnight finishes, Davis Cup changes start times

Nov 21, 2019
Rome, Italy

Jannik Sinner makes progress with second win of Rome comeback

By David Kane May 12, 2025
Social

Quote of the Day: Coco Gauff is heading to Cowboy Carter tour in June

By David Kane May 12, 2025
Opinion

Arthur Fils' 'excuse' to fight harder and beat Stefanos Tsitsipas may have been the best reason to like his future yet

By Steve Tignor May 12, 2025
Tennis.com Interview

Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik: “Clay is in my blood”

By David Kane May 12, 2025
ATP Challenger Tour

Alvaro Guillen Meza endures weather, emerges as champion at Santos Brasil Tennis Cup

By Florian Heer May 12, 2025
Rome, Italy

Naomi Osaka looks to Roland Garros after clay streak ends in Rome

By David Kane May 12, 2025
Rome, Italy

Tommy Paul enjoys Frecce Tricolori air show en route to Rome victory 🇮🇹

By David Kane May 12, 2025
Rome, Italy

Rome Previews & Picks: Berrettini vs. Ruud, Gauff vs. Raducanu, Ostapenko vs. Paolini

By Steve Tignor May 12, 2025
Pick of the Day

Rome Betting Preview: Jaume Munar vs. Sebastian Korda

By Zachary Cohen May 11, 2025

After post-midnight finishes, Davis Cup changes start times

The change comes after the Italy-United States tie ended at 4:04 a.m. local time on Thursday.

Published Nov 21, 2019

After post-midnight finishes, Davis Cup changes start times

Advertising

MADRID (AP) — Organizers at the Davis Cup Finals are switching to earlier start times to minimize the chance of late finishes.

The change comes after the series between Italy and the United States ended at 4:04 a.m. local time on Thursday, the second latest finish in the history of tennis. Only a few hundred people were present when the Americans clinched the victory in the final doubles match.

The morning and afternoon sessions have been brought forward 30 minutes, with the new start times set for 10:30 a.m. (0930 GMT) and 5:30 p.m. (1630 GMT). In addition, the time between the first and second singles matches will be reduced from 20 minutes to 10 minutes, and the doubles match has to start within 30 minutes of the second singles.

Thursday’s quarterfinal between Australia and Canada was still set to start at 6 p.m. local time.

Players and fans had already complained about the late finishes after other matches finished well past midnight. Some three-match series took nearly nine hours to conclude, going well into the later sessions and causing long delays.

In the revamped Davis Cup format, teams are facing each other in three best-of-three-set matches on the same day. Previously, the ties were decided over three days with five matches of best-of-five sets.