MADRID, 27 (EUROPA PRESS)
The president of Kosmos, Gerard Piqué, has predicted another “resounding success” in the second edition of the Davis Cup final phase in Madrid and a capacity of 100% at the end of November at the Madrid Arena, where 18 teams will fight again for the most important title in men’s team tennis, including Spain, who will defend the throne to which he ascended in 2019.
“They have been very hard times because society has gone through a critical moment in the last year and a half. We made the decision to postpone the last Davis Cup, but thanks to the Community and the Madrid City Council, and to the entire Kosmos team that He has worked day and night, we have managed to maintain this. We have been able to maintain it for next November and I think it will be a great success, “predicted Piqué.
The FC Barcelona footballer participated this Thursday in the presentation held at the headquarters of the Community of Madrid with the presence of the regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso; the mayor of the city, José Luis Martínez-Almeida; the director of the Davis Cup Finals, Albert Costa; or the president of the Higher Sports Council (CSD), José Manuel Franco.
Piqué recalled that the first edition of the Davis Cup held in Madrid in 2019 was “a resounding success” that he hopes to emulate. “It is true that there were things to improve, for example there were games that ended very late, and that is why we have made the decision to go to several cities to have more courts. We have also increased from 7 to 11 days to better distribute the qualifying rounds. We are improving little by little and we believe that this year is going to be an even better event, “he confided.
Regarding the entrance of the public to the Madrid Arena, which this year takes the witness of La Caja Mágica, Piqué was also optimistic. “We are working with the City Council, the Community and the Government to find out when we will be able to sell the tickets. At the moment we are at 50% capacity, but I am convinced that by the end of November we will be able to be close to 100%, why not say 100%, “he concluded.
For his part, Albert Costa stressed that “the level of this competition is maximum.” “Playing and representing your country is always something different, it is a competition that cannot be compared to when you play individually. The passion you put into helping your country win makes it very special. We have the best teams in the world spread over three cities and that will guarantee that the tournament is successful. We are evolving and reinventing ourselves every year, “said the former tennis player.
THE MARTÍNEZ-ALMEIDA MATTRESS BOX JOKES WITH PIQUÉ
As for the president of the Community of Madrid, she remarked that “during this year and a half of the pandemic, Madrid has been characterized by making the health situation compatible with the economic situation.” The Spanish soccer team will play its first game with the public in the Wanda Metropolitano and that Madrid is the headquarters of the Davis Cup is, in addition to enormous pride, another step towards normality. Madrid is becoming the epicenter of the most important international events and is going to experience a revolution comparable only to the ‘Movida’ of the eighties. Now come the best years for Madrid, “said Díaz Ayuso.
For his part, Martínez-Almeida, a well-known Atlético de Madrid fan, joked with Piqué, who told him that “the shortest way to be a champion team is Luis Suárez”, and speaking more seriously he valued the “great news of that Davis return to Madrid after the parenthesis forced by the pandemic “.
“It is a tournament that is in the sentimental memory of the Spanish. Madrid is a trustworthy city and we are determined to continue growing despite the circumstances. Sport is a fundamental axis of our performance. We celebrate the return of the Davis Cup and we are confident that the improvements that Gerard has introduced are going to make it an even more memorable event. Hopefully Spain will revalidate its title and we will take back this Salad Bowl “, he wished.
The Davis Cup Finals will be played from November 25 to December 5 and will take place on a hard court with the participation of 18 teams. Spain, current champions, is in Group A, along with Russia and Ecuador, their rivals in the first phase.
As a novelty in this edition, the Austrian city of Innsbruck and the Italian city of Turin will be the two venues that will host the competition together with Madrid, which remains as the headquarters. Each of the cities will host the group stage of two groups and a quarter-final, which in the case of Madrid will be two. The Spanish capital will also host the semifinals and the final.
