BOLOGNA/WASHINGTON, November 25, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)
The Davis Cup Finals, which wrapped up its first year in Bologna Sunday evening with host Italy defeating Spain 2-0 to garner its third-straight Davis Cup title, was an “amazing, incredible week,” said ITF President David Haggerty.
With Italy once again basking in Davis Cup glory, the finale felt like the World Cup of tennis. It was filled with a certain kind of excitement and drama that makes the Davis Cup unique.
Defence complete.
Italy are the 2025 World Champions #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/s4PyVZPi1s
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 23, 2025
During a Sunday afternoon news conference before the title match, featuring Haggerty, ITF CEO Ross Hutchins, Davis Cup Finals Tournament Director Feliciano Lopez and FITP President Angelo Binaghi, each shared their thoughts and impressions of the 2025 Davis Cup Finals and, later, fielded questions from media attending the event.
“It’s been a great week here in Bologna,” Haggerty said. “I think we’re building on the success we had in Malaga. I have to say it’s been an amazing, incredible week. We’d like to thank the FITP and the ITF team for working together in such a collaborative way.
“On the court it’s been great to see the matches that we’ve had, very exciting ties. Over 90 percent (seating) capacity during the week. Very happy. Also very happy for Italy to be hosting for the next three years. But most importantly this will be the second tie at home in the history of the Finals. It’s really exciting. Best luck to both of the teams.”
Haggerty added: “The other thing I’d like to say is we made a transition this year to the group stages being home and away, which has been well received by the players.
“The Final 8 is really the backbone and kind of the emphasis and the highlight of the season. We’ve enjoyed our first year here in Bologna. Looking forward to coming back the next couple of years.”
Once was nice, twice was great, third time was even better #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/rVhc5RjNEl
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 23, 2025
Speaking on behalf of the Italian tennis federation (FITP), Binaghi said: “We are very happy and delighted to have built and delivered such an event here in this particular time of Italian tennis.
“The experience made in Turin during the last year suggests to us that this is the right one. There is still room for improvements that we are going to focus on in the next days. For us, delivering such a big event is a big honor. We’re looking forward to doing this the next years.”
The fans brought the noise to Bologna tonight, the place was electric ⚡️#DavisCup pic.twitter.com/RjetibqdeB
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 23, 2025
As a former player, Hutchins said what everyone sees in Bologna is “very special.” He added: “So much emotion, so much history. It’s our most prestigious competition in tennis. The team element is so special.
“It’s just an honor to think back, but it’s more of an honor to be part of this competition here. It just drives so much emotion from the athletes and brings in the national pride as such a strong team competition.
“I think it’s something that we value very highly, something that with the partnership with President Binaghi and the FITP team, we’ve been able to showcase that here, something that we value so highly.”
A thrilling finale to a memorable week in Bologna
The best highlights from a singles showdown between Flavio Cobolli and Jaume Munar #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/0TJFhJoB6s
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 24, 2025
Lopez, a former Davis Cup player for the last Spanish team to win the Davis Cup title in 2019, said: “The feedback from players, captains, federations, it’s really good. They’re so happy and so grateful for everything that we’ve done to put such an amazing event this week in Bologna.
“I think this is really the continuation of what happened in Malaga over the last three years. It’s good that we come to Italy at the right moment, where the Italian tennis is really shining. They were so dominant over the last few years.
“Actually, they’re the defending champion, so it’s going to be a great day of tennis. Spain and Italy. I can’t wait to see the amazing battle today. … Hopefully we’re going to have another two years of great tennis here in Bologna.”
“We cannot lose for our country” ❤️
A team player since his youth as a football player, 23 year old Flavio Cobolli has announced himself to the world after leading Italy to their third consecutive Davis Cup title in Bologna. #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/urvsLvuGsA
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) November 24, 2025
Highlights of the Q & A:
• Will the size and scope of the number of teams competing in the Davis Cup and the size of team rosters increase in the future?
“We have 158 teams that compete in Davis Cup around the world, which is really important,” Haggerty said. “We’re able to take top-level team competition, professional tennis, to places that don’t have tennis, professional tennis, in the country every day. That’s one of the benefits.
“With that, to make sure that we have the ability for countries to compete, the more players that you have as a requirement advantages sometimes the more established countries. We think the two singles and one doubles, which has been the history, makes sense where we are today.
“But I think as you see with our change this year to the group stage becoming the home and away, we continue to listen to the players, work with the other stakeholders. It’s very important.
“Something we can certainly consider. I think for where we are now, I think it makes sense up to five players that can participate, even though they’re two singles and the one doubles.”
• You talk about the Final 8 being the backbone. Some would love to go back to the old [home and away] format. Some would even like to see the Davis Cup become a biannual event. What is the long-term future?
“I think it’s fair to say we came to this point of playing two times home and away through the year, the Final 8, after five years of conversations with players, captains, federations,” Lopez said.
“I think we are now in the right place, considering the amount of tournaments that we have throughout the year. As I said, it’s a fair amount considering tennis nowadays. This is my opinion.
“I think we included another time another home and away tie throughout the year, which is greater. That was really appreciated from players and captains and federations. This is what they wanted. They wanted to add another one throughout the year.
“I think the Final 8 is a format that in Malaga was really working. I see that this is going to be the continuation. This is a very tradition tennis country, Italy, that also lives the best moment in its history. I think we are in the right place honestly.
“As Dave said before, we’re going to keep talking to everyone, to all the parties involved, to all the stakeholders, federations, ATP. I’m sure they’re going to be joining because we need also the ATP. We need all the parties involved to succeed.
“This is where we are now. Of course, open to keeping talking to everyone. But I think we are in the right place at the moment.”
• Can you elaborate on your ideas for the future of the Davis Cup?
“This event is unique. This event has so much history, so much passion. From the fan standpoint, it brings out the national pride, the patriotism,” Hutchins said.
“From the player standpoint, it brings out something where most weeks of the year with your small individual player team, when actually this is now taking on a whole different dimension.
“When we can showcase those elements of this event is so special, why it’s carried so much weight and still carries so much weight with the fans, the partners, the players, and everyone. That’s what we need to continue to showcase.
“I’m just delighted that what we have here in Bologna … is exactly that. We’ve been able to culminate the world of tennis at the end of the year in one place, have over 90 percent attendance with countries coming from around the world with high international presence of fans, and being able to showcase many sold-out sessions to get to a point where the world is watching this week. It’s just a very exciting competition.
“Trying to get the in-stadia fans to feel the passion has been very easy because the players and everyone has warmed to it in Bologna. Try to get the out-of-stadium fans through digital and broadcast has just been breathtaking this week.
“I’m very proud. We need to keep remembering how special this competition is and keep showcasing those elements, which we from the organization of the ITF, and with the FITP, will certainly do and continue to shine that light as slightly different to the rest of the year in its unique fashion.”
• Do you have any thoughts going forward about what else you want to do to further increase the exposure and thrills of this competition?
Feliciano Lopez: “I think honest the numbers speak for themselves. I mean, the attendance, the presence everywhere in the world, TV coverage is amazing.
“For us, as I said before, I think we came to a point where the competition is in good hands. The format is working. The players are happy. They’re willing to represent their countries. We’ve seen probably. Some of the best tennis matches this year here in Bologna. The passion, it’s still there. …
“I think internationally the Davis Cup, this competition, is going to be watched in every single country in the world. I don’t think there’s many things that we can do more.
“Of course, we’re willing to improve always. This is always the will of these people here. As I said before, we’re in a good moment. Willing to improve, of course.”
Ross Hutchins: “The way the world consumes sports and entertainment in 2025 and 2026 is always changing. That’s important for us as an organization, to make sure we communicate the core elements of this competition in the right way.
“I think our media team, our business team and the teams around the world, the partners we work with here, the key partners that want to showcase the core of this event around the world, si going to be very important for us to make sure we communicate in the most modern, relevant way, which we’ve done a very good job this year.
“We have the core elements that you reference, the passion, the history, the players, the nations, the patriotism. Making sure we communicate to the world that want to feel that passion and that energy is a big goal for us as the ITF organization. We’ll make sure that we do the right things in that space.”
David Haggerty: “Davis Cup is different to any other competition. The emotion that the players have when they play, the way they react when they win a point, when they lose a point, the way they engage with the crowds is so important. This can help us attract a new audience.
“The passionate tennis fan knows about Davis Cup. There are many other people that we need to expand and grow tennis’ popularity among other people that aren’t necessarily playing tennis as many of the people that are in this stadium.
“It’s infectious. It’s a great feeling of emotion. That can attract people to our sport. That’s something that we can really use Davis Cup as a competition to expand.
“You see what’s happened here in Italy with the emotion and the great number of players that you have how it can build the participation.
“The ITF’s main goal is to have 130 million people playing tennis by 2030. We’re about 109 million now. We need to continue to grow, and that’s by attracting new audiences and people to the sport.
“I think that’s something else I would add to our vision, our ambition.”
