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Roger Federer has warned Gerard Pique about his involvement in the overhaul of the Davis Cup, accusing the Barcelona and Spain defender of "meddling" with the tennis calendar. Pique is the founder and president of investment group Kosmos, who have led the drive to change the Davis Cup to a week-long, 18-team tournament. The controversial proposals were approved by the International Tennis Federation during a meeting of its member nations in August, with Pique in attendance at the summit in Orlando. But not all tennis players are keen for the new plans. There are concerns that the event, which would start in 2019, adds to an already-packed tennis calendar, leaving little rest time for the players. It was originally thought that the rebranded Davis Cup would be held at the end of the season in November, but Pique confused matters by suggesting in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro last week that September might be a better time to stage the event. A September date would clash with Federer's own plans, namely involving the Laver Cup, a Ryder Cup-style contest involving Europe and the Rest of the World which the 20-time Grand Slam champion helped to create alongside his management company TEAM8. "The good part of all this confusion is that everyone will have to sit around one table and listen to the other's desires," Federer told French-speaking reporters at the US Open. "The ITF, the Association of Tennis Professionals, the Laver Cup. It is true that the coming weeks may be very interesting. "I have not spoken to Gerard Pique yet, but I admit that it's a bit odd to see a footballer arrive and meddle in the tennis business. The Davis Cup should not become the Pique Cup. I am globally for innovations: our sport needs to think a little outside the box to innovate. But it's a bit like in a part of Jenga, you have to be careful not to remove the room that will bring down the whole building." Pique took time off Barcelona's pre-season to attend the ITF vote, and was filmed celebrating with Kosmos staff following the two-thirds majority victory. In a statement in the aftermath of the decision, Pique said: "This is the beginning of a new stage that guarantees the pre-eminent and legitimate place that the Davis Cup should have as a competition for national teams while adapting to the demands of this professional sport at the highest level."
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