Dubai: American Andy Roddick has called for a change in the thinking by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) while planning the Davis Cup schedule.
Roddick, who is in favour of the concept of playing the Davis Cup tie a week after a Grand Slam, said the ITF needs to show a willingness to adjust and change when it comes to the planning process for the annual international team competition.
"I wish that the ITF would be more open to change. If they can get the logistics and the finances sorted out, it would be good to have the Davis Cup ties immediately after the Grand Slam," Roddick stated.
Roddick's love and passion for putting the Davis Cup at the top of his priority has been close to legendary. He has more than once been vocal about his love for the team competition. Defending champions US have a close-knit unit that includes the Bryan brothers, Mardy Fish and James Blake.
Instrumental
Based on his commitments on the ATP Men's Tour, not only has Roddick made himself available for every competition, last month he was instrumental in leading the country from the front under non-playing captain Patrick McEnroe.
US secured themselves a spot in the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup by outplaying first-round hosts Austria 4-1 in Vienna in the first half of last month.
Roddick and Blake gave McEnroe's team a 2-0 lead before the Bryan brothers won the doubles to lift the defending champions to an unbeatable 3-0 lead on the second day.
The US are next scheduled to face nine-time trophy winners France in the 2008 World Group quarterfinals to be played at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem from April 11-13.
"I support this concept of having Davis Cup a week after a Grand Slam as the only people who could possibly be affected would be the two guys playing in the final," he offered.
"I would rather have the two finalists from the previous year getting a bye to the next round," he suggested.
"I think the smaller aspects like the home crowds, the different atmospheres, the different surfaces and stuff like that sort of add to the intricacies of the Davis Cup."
Roddick was just nine years old when the Americans last played host to the finals against Switzerland in 1992. The US weres represented by the four legends of tennis - Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras and John McEnroe - with 33 Grand Slams singles titles among them.
Finer aspects
Sampras watched the finals along with his parents in Austin, a memory that has pushed him in putting his country before self in tennis.
He insisted that the suggested changes should not alter or make the competition lose any of its finer aspects.
"I don't have any problems. I fully support change," Roddick said.
