Stan Wawrinka alleges ITF pays supporters to create noise at Davis Cup matches amidst disappointing lack of attendance

Stan Wawrinka, the Swiss tennis maestro, has accused the International Tennis Federation (ITF) of allegedly incentivizing fans to generate noise at Davis Cup matches. This, he believes, is due to a noticeable lack of attendance.

The Davis Cup stands as men's tennis' foremost international team competition, attracting participation from more than 140 countries each year. Often referred to by organizers as the 'World Cup of Tennis', the victorious team earns the title of 'World Champions'.

This prestigious event traces its origins back to 1900 when it commenced as a challenge between Great Britain and the United States. Fast forward to 2023, and an impressive 155 nations have fielded teams to compete in this renowned competition.

On Saturday, the three-time Grand Slam champion took to his Twitter account to share an interesting claim. He questioned whether people are aware that the ITF was offering compensation to individuals for supporting every team in each match.

"Trivia Davis Cup question:

"Did you know that @ITFTennis are paying people to support and make some noise for every country at every match?" Stan Wawrinka tweeted

Switzerland secured its lone Davis Cup victory when Wawrinka and Roger Federer teamed up to conquer France in Lille during the 2014 tournament.

The 2023 Davis Cup Finals Group Stage is presently in progress, with matches being held in Bologna, Manchester, Valencia, and Split. The competition commenced on September 12 and is scheduled to run until September 17.

Stan Wawrinka criticizes Gerard Pique for low attendance in Davis Cup France vs. Switzerland match in Manchester

US Open Tennis

Tennis star Stan Wawrinka has criticized Gerard Pique, the former Barcelona defender, for his involvement in the new ATP Group Stages format. Pique, who has ventured into business since retiring, influenced tennis through a deal between the ITF and his company, Kosmos, in 2019.

This deal led to significant changes in the Davis Cup format, which faced criticism from some tennis stars. However, in January 2023, the ITF-Kosmos deal collapsed, coinciding with the launch of Pique's Kings League.

Stan Wawrinka, currently ranked 40th in the ATP standings, criticized Pique on Twitter. Switzerland, with Wawrinka on their team, is part of Davis Cup Finals Group B, along with France, Australia, and Great Britain.

The matches are taking place in Manchester from September 12 to 17. Despite Pique's claims of improved viewership, Wawrinka posted a video on Twitter, showing a nearly empty stadium during Switzerland's match against France.

“Thank you @3gerardpique @ITFTennis!” Wawrinka wrote.

This text was followed by an emoji depicting anger and another emoji representing someone with their hand on their face.

“@DavisCup France vs Switzerland in Manchester lol,” Stan Wawrinka captioned the post.