Founded in 1900, the Davis Cup is the largest annual international team competition in sport, but has suffered as a spectacle since many top players began opting out.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday.
Tennis must avoid "internal battles" if its growth is to keep pace with other sports, Roger Federer said on Monday in response to news that the ATP was to launch a revamped World Team Cup.
Maria Sharapova will appeal a two-year ban for doping imposed by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday.
Walking out of the outside courts at the Balewadi stadium, his gait was assuring as he uttered, "no more singles for me".
Billie Jean King helped the United States win the inaugural Fed Cup, the team event is being re-named in honour of the greatest trailblazer in women's tennis.
Elina Svitolina said she will donate her prize money from WTA tournaments to Ukraine's military and to help with humanitarian efforts following Russia's invasion of her country last week.
Dismissing Pakistan's review appeal, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan as the neutral venue for the tie.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) launched an investigation into Romanian Fed Cup captain Ilie Nastase after allegations the former world number one had made a derogatory comment about Serena Williams' unborn child.
The returning Scot also announced his withdrawal from next week's Rogers Cup in Toronto.
Earlier in the day, Russia was banned from defending its Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup titles but its players will still be allowed to compete at the Grand Slams and in regular tour events.
Sixth seed Elise Mertens fell to Kaia Kanepi 0-6, 6-0, 7-5 and seventh seed Julia Goerges lost to American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 7-6(0).
Rafael Nadal to play for Spain in new Davis Cup Finals while World No 1 Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, have already said they would support the ATP Cup -- seen as a rival team event to the Davis Cup -- when it begins in Australia just a few weeks after the ITF's flagship event.
While tennis is a lucrative sport for those at the top -- the 2020 Australian Open singles champions each took home A$4.12 million ($2.52 million) -- those in the lower echelons often struggle to make ends meet.
India to host Italy on grass in Kolkata
France's Alize Cornet has been charged by the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) after allegedly missing three out-of-competition drug tests, governing body the ITF said on Thursday.
An FFT statement said it had consulted with the ATP, WTA and International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow the Roland-Garros showpiece the benefit of an extra week.
Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova was suspended for two years by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday following her positive test for banned drug meldonium at this year's Australian Open.
When it comes to producing the raucous atmospheres which help make the Davis Cup unique among tennis events, few do it as well as the Belgians who have reached two of the last three finals, losing on both occasions.
Djokovic helped Serbia to a 3-0 victory over Japan in their Group A opener on Wednesday at La Caja Magica where a revamped Davis Cup climax is being contested by 18 nations over seven days.
'They are behaving according to their convenience. They have no right to ask question on areas which are outside players' domain. Their job is to play. Who is he (Bopanna) to ask such questions? There is (AITA) administration to look into these matters'
France, who were 2-0 up courtesy of Arthur Rinderknech and Adrian Mannarino, faced little resistance from Ecuador as wins for Benjamin Bonzi and the doubles pair of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicholas Mahut secured victory for the 10-times champions.
Bhupathi said AITA did not have the courtesy to inform him that he won't continue as captain.
Russia's former World No 1 Maria Sharapova said she could not wait to return to tennis in April after her drugs ban was reduced to 15 months on Tuesday.
Doubles exponent Rohan Bopanna retained his place in India's Davis Cup team despite his recent run-in with the national federation, which named a five-member squad for the upcoming World Group I away tie against Finland.
AITA said it had come up with an intermediate plan with the support of the country's government to reduce some of the pain for the lower-level professionals. India is currently in lockdown till May 3 and it was assumed that travel restrictions would be lifted in the next two months, the AITA said.
This year's Wimbledon Championships have so far survived the cull of the world's most prestigious sporting events due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it seems only a matter of time before they are postponed or cancelled. With London in its first week of lockdown, All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) officials are weighing up their limited options.
Nagal, who has played his best tennis this season, sent a confirmation to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Thursday night while Ramkumar had conveyed his availability a few days ago.
Bhupathi said as per AITA's last communication to him, he was replaced as the non-playing captain for making himself unavailable to travel to Pakistan.
Of the 83 people implicated in the case, 28 were professional tennis players, playing in the ITF Futures and Challenger categories, and one whose identity was not revealed competed in the 2018 US Open.
India, with players of the caliber of Sumit Nagal, Ramkumar Ramanathan and veteran Leander Paes, were already expected to win easy but pulling out of Pakistan top players Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan has made it a no-contest.
Hong Kong have withdrawn from their Davis Cup tie against Pakistan in Islamabad citing security concerns, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said.
Osaka had pulled out of the French Open citing mental health and revealed that she suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018.
Prajnesh is now ranked 102 in the men's singles rankings with a jump of seven places while Ankita leapfrogged 35 places to a career-high 168 in the women's singles.
Proposals to revamp the Davis Cup into a season-ending 18-team event were backed by national federations at the International Tennis Federation annual general meeting in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday.
Serbia's former World No 12 Viktor Troicki has been handed an 18-month suspension by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) after violating doping regulations.
Images from Day one of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica in Madrid on Monday
On the men's side, the fields have already been divided into two ATP 250 tournaments.
India were drawn against their Pakistan for an away Asia-Oceania Zone Group 1 fixture.
Widening its net, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has, for the first time ever, collected samples from close to 20 tennis players competing at the National Tennis Championships at DLTA Complex, in New Delhi.
