ITF

One hundred and twenty-two nations contested Davis Cup in 2012, either in the World Group or as one of 12 groups in the three regional zones. A total of 523 players took part in the 2012 competition, including 24 of the world's Top 30 players. Davis Cup remained successful off court, with 560,000 spectators attending the 82 Davis Cup ties across 58 different nations, including a total attendance of 33,000 across the three days of the Final in Prague. The competition achieved its greatest ever television coverage, with over 6,200 hours of Davis Cup action shown in 161 countries in 2012, a 30 per cent increase on 2011. The Final attracted 38 broadcasters across 156 countries and was aired by the national broadcaster Czech TV, reaching a peak audience share of 28 per cent on the final day. Official websites DavisCup.com and CopaDavis.com attracted a total of 25 million page views in 2012 while the live streaming site, DavisCup.tv, saw a 45 per cent increase in unique visitors for first round action. At the Final, the 2012 ITF/International Tennis Hall of Fame Davis Cup Award of Excellence was presented to Ivan Lendl. Lendl competed on the Czechoslovakian Davis Cup team for eight consecutive years from 1978-1985, leading the team to the Davis Cup title in 1980, after defeating Italy in Prague. The first Davis Cup Commitment Awards, inaugurated as part of the ITF's Centenary celebrations, were also presented at the 2012 Final to recognise a player's dedication to representing their country. In all, a total of 299 players had already qualified to receive the award at the time of its announcement. BNP Paribas completed its 11th year of title sponsorship in 2012 and was joined by international sponsors HP (Official Technology Sponsor), Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Hugo Boss (Official Men's Fashion Clothing Sponsor), Adecco (Official HR Sponsor), NH Hoteles (Official Hotel), and international partner Wilson Sporting Goods (Official Ball). PROFESSIONAL TENNIS 9

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