Davis Cup finals 2019 - When is it and how does the new format work?

The Davis Cup returns on Monday, sporting a brand new format to revamp its 119-year history led by Barcelona defender Gerard Pique's Kosmos company.

The new format, which sees the finals played over a whole week, has attracted plenty of criticism, with Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer, two-time and one-time Davis Cup winners respectively, particularly vocal critics.

However, Pique is determined to prove the doubters wrong and said in February: "In the future we will see this competition as one of the biggest in the calendar of tennis."

The Davis Cup finals will take place from November 18-24 at the Caja Magica in Madrid, on indoor hard courts. The group stage will be played over November 18-21, the quarter-finals over November 21 and 22, the semi-finals on November 23 and the final on November 24.

Eighteen teams will take part in the finals - 12 winners from February's qualifying round, the four semi-finalists of the previous edition and two wild card teams. Great Britain and Argentina have been given wildcards this year.

These 18 teams are divided into six groups of three, with the winners and the best two second-placed teams advancing to the quarter-finals. From the last eight, the competition follows a straight knock out system. Each match will be the best of three rubbers - two singles matches followed by a doubles match.

The Davis Cup finals will be broadcast live and on demand on Eurosport and Eurosport player.

There is plenty of A-list ATP talent on show at the Davis Cup finals, with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal representing Serbia and Spain respectively. Meanwhile, Andy Murray will take to the court for Great Britain, US Open finalist Daniil Medvedev will be the star of the Russia team and Marin Cilic will lead the defending champions Croatia.

Spain are currently the favourites at 13-5, while France, boasting the likes of Gael Monfils, Benoit Pair and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are second at 9-2. Then come Australia at 11-2, Croatia at 6-1 and Serbia and 13-2.