Gerard Pique’s plans to revamp the Davis Cup backed by American billionaire Larry Ellison

Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique’s plans to revamp the Davis Cup backed by American billionaire Larry Ellison…with new 18-team World Cup of Tennis set to become season finale

  • American billionaire Larry Ellison has backed plans to revamp the Davis Cup 
  • Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique is the brains behind the new proposals 
  • Ellison plans to hold a new revamped competition at Indian Wells, which he owns
  • The World Cup of Tennis is set to be held every November as the season climax 

American billionaire Larry Ellison has thrown his weight behind the International Tennis Federation’s planned revamp of the Davis Cup.

The ITF announced earlier this year that it had agreed a 25-year partnership with investment group KOSMOS which is chaired by Barcelona footballer and tennis enthusiast Gerard Pique.

Listed by Forbes as the eighth wealthiest man in the world, Ellison, who owns the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California as well as the Indian Wells Masters 1000 tournament, has invested in the proposed new 18-team event to be known as the World Cup of Tennis.

American billionaire Larry Ellison (pictured) has backed plans to revamp the Davis Cup

Footballer Gerard Pique (pictured) is the brains behind the new World Cup of Tennis proposal

Footballer Gerard Pique (pictured) is the brains behind the new World Cup of Tennis proposal

Former Manchester United star Pique is the brains behind an idea to reinvigorate the 118-year Davis Cup with the one week season finale in November next year.

And he has welcomed Ellison’s endorsement as an investor to the Davis Cup reform that Kosmos is developing in partnership with the ITF.

In a letter published through his official website, Ellison confirmed: ‘I readily embrace innovative ideas and opportunities which is why I am not only lending my written support, but will also become an investor in this competition.’ 

Indian Wells (pictured) in California, owned by Ellison, could host the new tournament

Indian Wells (pictured) in California, owned by Ellison, could host the new tournament

Pique, Kosmos president and founder, said: ‘I personally want to publicly welcome Mr Larry Ellison to this project, being an enormous privilege for us.. We are very pleased and proud to join forces and have him financially backing our commitment for boosting and reinforcing the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas.

‘The agreement reassures the sustainability and ambition of our engagement together with the ITF and I know it will be welcomed as a positive announcement for the global tennis community.’ 

Kosmos’s partnership with the ITF aims to not only revamp the Davis Cup but create investment in grassroots tennis plus all the national tennis associations with a 25-year long agreement.

The proposal is still to be ratified by national associations on August 16 in Orlando at the ITF annual general meeting and will need a two-thirds majority.

Apart from Pique, Kosmos is backed by Hiroshi Mikitani, chairman of Japanese electrical giant Rakuten, and are looking to build a global portfolio of sports, media and entertainment ventures.

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