In 2008, the ARAG ATP World Team Championship will be contested under a new playing format between May 18-24.

The 31st edition of the international men’s team competition will feature ties over two days. Every team will now play on every day!

The new tournament format was presented by ARAG ATP World Team Championship Tournament Director Dietloff von Arnim at a press conference held last Wednesday.

The eight teams will still be seeded into the "Red" and "Blue" Groups. Spectators at the Rochusclub in Düsseldorf as well as television around the world can watch Germany’s top players competing daily during the round robin stage. The seven other nations will also be in action every day.

In 30 previous editions of the ARAG ATP World Team Championship, the nations in the two groups have played on alternate days. Only at the draw ceremony, two days prior to the event, was it was clarified which country would play on which day.

Under the new format, all eight teams will play daily on the two Center Courts at the Rochusclub.

Tournament Director Dietloff von Arnim considers this new system to be of great advantage particularly for the tennis fans. Von Arnim said: "We get many calls in December and January already asking for tickets, mainly of course for the matches of the German team. So far we had to put the fans off. This problem has been solved by the new system."

The seeds of change were formed last year. Von Arnim indicated that "positive discussions" took place with the participating tennis professionals during the 2007 event. as well as with the host broadcaster WDR. The ATP, co-organizers with the Rochusclub, the change of system was initiated.

The last marked change of the most traditional major sports event in Düsseldorf took place in 1984, when the semi-finals after the round robins were dropped and the two group winners qualified directly for the final.

EXAMPLE OF 2008 DRAW FORMAT

Below is an example of the new format of the ARAG WORLD TEAM CUP. The correct schedule will be determined after the draw ceremony on May 16, 2008.

EXAMPLE DRAW
Blue Group: Germany, United States, Chile, Sweden
Red Group: Argentina, Russia, Belgium, Czech Republic

Sunday
Centre Court I - Blue Group - GER-USA 1st singles match; CHI-SWE 1st singles match; CHI-SWE 2nd singles match

Centre Court II - Red Group - ARG-RUS 1st singles match; CZE-BEL 1st singles match; CZE-BEL 2nd singles match

Monday
Centre Court I – Blue Group – GER-USA 2nd singles match; CHI-SWE doubles match; GER-USA doubles match

Centre Court II - Red Group - ARG-RUS 2nd singles match; CZE-BEL doubles match; ARG-RUS doubles match

Tuesday
Start of the second competition day in both Round Robin groups – schedule confirmed on Sunday

Wednesday
Completion of second competition day in both Round Robin groups – schedule confirmed Monday

Thursday
Start of third competition day in both Round Robin groups

Friday
Completion of third competition day in both Round Robin groups

Saturday
Final