Intro:

Speaking in Lille on Saturday (22nd November), International Tennis Federation President Francesco Ricci Bitti rejected calls for a three week long 'World Cup of Tennis' to replace the Davis Cup. He also revealed he would like to shorten sets in an effort to reduce the duration of matches.

Script:

"The first point is the three weeks. The second is that home and away is very rooted in our competition. If you provide me three weeks in the calendar now, perhaps I can consider it. But three weeks are not available, in general."

"We try. I think the length that is needed to have a serious competition is too much. We try to discuss with the tour again. But we surely don't get the support. We are not getting support in this. Exhibition is something else. The demand of a team competition like Davis Cup for the players is very serious, very high level. This is a consideration. This is the stage. I could not assume that we receive support for this."

"Tennis should be a little bit more experimenting. I believe the length of our game is an issue in general."

Shotlist:

1. 00:00 SOUNDBITE: (English) Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF President (on the possibility of a three week Tennis World Cup replacing the Davis Cup):

2. 00:19 SOUNDBITE: (English) Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF President (asked why he doesn't cancel exhibition matches in favour of a World Cup):

3. 00:53 SOUNDBITE: (English) Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF President (asked if he is considering shorting tennis matches):