The head of the International Tennis Federation insisted on Sunday that top players are not snubbing the Davis Cup despite the absence of stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
"There's this false feeling out there that top players don't represent their nation. That's not true," David Haggerty told reporters ahead of Sunday's final between Italy and Spain.
The international team event, this year being held in Bologna, is organised by the ITF.
"Some of those top players that played in the qualifier round or the second qualifier round didn't make it to the finals. And so we had many top players that have played," added Haggerty.
"And while Jannik and Carlos would be nice to have here, their teams are competing with the spirit of the strength that they provide to their teammates."
American Taylor Fritz, Australian Alex De Minaur, Dane Holger Rune and Norwegian Casper Ruud – all in the top 20 of the men's rankings – featured in the early rounds of the competition without managing to lead their country to finals in Bologna.
Spain's Alcaraz pulled out injured on Tuesday morning while his Italian rival Sinner announced weeks ago that he wouldn't participate in order to rest ahead of the 2026 season, meaning Sunday's final will be missing the world's two best players.
Italian fans were also denied the chance to see Lorenzo Musetti play for his country after the world No 8 withdrew following his elimination from the ATP Finals earlier this month.
Musetti cited his physical condition and the imminent birth of his second child as the reasons for him not taking part on home soil.