Molik calls for Fed Cup changes

Australian captain Alicia Molik believes the World Group in the Fed Cup competition needs to expand to include more countries.

The competition is currently divided into an eight-nation World Group, with a secondary eight-nation World Group II. All other nations then compete in tiered zonal competitions. It differs from the Davis Cup competition, which has a 16-nation World Group structure.

Molik believes a larger Fed Cup World Group would entice more top players to commit to the competition.

Australia is one of many countries, along with Spain, Czech Republic, Russia, Denmark and the USA, entering a Fed Cup tie this weekend missing a top 20-ranked player.

“You want the best players playing off in the World Group stages,” Molik, a former world No.8, said.

“I like the idea of a bigger competition throughout the year with more nations, so you’re getting top players playing each other more regularly.”

Molik’s biggest concern is that each year only eight nations are eligible to win the competition, a format she believes does not provide enough incentive for top players.

This weekend Molik’s Australian team needs to beat Serbia to retain World Group II status for 2018. Victory still means the earliest the nation could return to the competition’s top tier, and be eligible to win the title, is 2019. A loss puts them at least three years away from a World Group return.

“Sometimes when a top player elects not to play a tie, it can be a two-year cycle before they can even insert themselves back into the World Group again,” Molik noted.

The structure of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup competitions has been a contentious issue in recent weeks, with former world No.1s Jim Courier and Todd Woodbridge publically voicing the need for major change.

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Both Courier and Woodbridge have suggested ‘World Cup’-style competitions are needed to revitalise interest – but Molik has dismissed the need for major changes to the format.

“I don’t mind the format now, I’d just like the World Group to go to a larger number of nations rather than eight,” Molik reiterated.

“I think it’s about right playing two or three weeks a year, I don’t think you can spend any more time than that because it’s already a long year.”