'discussions' To Take Place Over Davis Cup Future

Belgium edged up against France successful nan opening lucifer astatine nan Davis Cup Finals successful Bologna, arsenic organisers confirmed discussions will beryllium held complete nan tournament's early format amid nan absence of apical players from this year's event.

The 86th-ranked Raphael Collignon battled backmost to upset French world number 35 Corentin Moutet 2-6 7-5 7-5, leaving team-mate Zizou Bergs pinch a chance to unafraid triumph against Arthur Rinderknech later.

World number 1 Carlos Alcaraz announced earlier connected Tuesday that he had withdrawn from Spain's squad because of an wounded sustained connected Sunday astatine nan ATP Finals.

That near Germany's Alexander Zverev arsenic nan only top-10 men's singles subordinate competing successful this year's Davis Cup showpiece week.

While wounded has prevented immoderate from representing their nation, different players - including Italian world number 2 Jannik Sinner - person chosen to maximise their betterment clip astatine nan opening of nan sport's six-week off-season.

Both Alcaraz and Sinner person suggested they would beryllium successful favour of making nan Davis Cup a biennial event.

International Tennis Federation (ITF) main executive Ross Hutchins told BBC Sport he will consult nan sport's apical players to research what nan tourney tin do to promote their information successful nan last awesome arena of nan season.

"The history of this arena is simply a very, very celebrated squad title which has been - consistently crossed nan past 125 years - a yearly event," Hutchins said.

"We person a three-year woody successful Bologna, which we are very excited about. Malaga worked very good nan past fewer years arsenic a season-end merchandise - apical players playing, astonishing narratives - truthful nan mobility is what's correct moving forward.

"I do person very adjacent relations pinch nan apical players and nan governing bodies, truthful I'm going to beryllium having discussions astir their points of view.

"We cognize what's been written, and what's been said, truthful inevitably I will person those conversations and we tin return it from there."

On nan court, Moutet captured nan first group against Collignon aft racing into a 4-0 lead pinch a double break of serve.

But nan Frenchman had only himself to blasted erstwhile he was taken to a decider, losing his service - and nan 2nd group - aft falling 15-30 down arsenic an unnecessary instrumentality changeable astatine nan nett did not travel off, pinch Collignon already stepping distant from nan court.

That proved a costly correction arsenic Collignon accrued nan unit successful nan last set, yet ending Moutet's guidance successful nan 12th crippled aft nan Belgian had been incapable to return his first 4 break points.

The winning squad will play Italy aliases Austria successful nan semi-finals connected Friday.

On nan different half of nan draw, Spain meet nan Czech Republic, while Argentina look Germany.

Great Britain are not successful nan Davis Cup Finals aft losing 3-2 to Japan successful nan first qualifying information successful February.