Davis Cup
The
Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's
tennis. The largest annual team competition in sport, the Davis Cup is run by the
International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. In 2005 134 nations entered teams into the competition.
Countries aspire to compete in the elite World Group of 16 nations which comprises four rounds of competition spread over four weekends during the year. Each World Group 'tie' between two competing nations consists of 5 matches (known as 'rubbers') carried out over the course of three days, usually Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On the Friday, the first two matches are singles, generally between the two best available players of each country. A doubles match is played on the second day. On the third day, the final two matches are typically
reverse singles in which the first-day contestants traditionally play again, but swap opponents from the first day's singles matches. If the tie has already been decided in favour of one of the teams, it is common for younger lower-ranked team members to play the remaining '
dead-rubbers' in order for them to gain Davis Cup experience.
The captain of each nation is able to nominate a squad of four players for each tie and he decides which of these players will compete in the first three rubbers. On the Thursday before play starts schedule of play is randomly drawn to decide the pairings of the nominated singles players in the first two rubbers. In the past, teams could only substitute final day singles players when the result of the tie had already been determined, but nowadays the rules allow teams to select any playing team member to play the last two singles matches provided that first day matchups are not repeated. There is no restriction on which of the playing team members plays the doubles match: the two singles players, two other players (usually doubles specialists) or a combination.
All rubbers are normally best-of-5 sets. If a team has clinched the rubber before all 5 matches are played, any remaining reverse singles matches are shortened to best-of-3 sets.
The women's equivalent of the Davis Cup is the
Fed Cup (known as the Federation Cup before
1995).
The tournament was conceived in
1899 by four members of the
Harvard University tennis team who came up with the idea of challenging the British to a tennis showdown. Once the idea received the go ahead from the respective lawn tennis associations, one of the four Harvard players,
Dwight F. Davis, designed a tournament format and spent the money from his own pocket to purchase an appropriate sterling silver trophy. The first match, between the
United States and
Great Britain was held in
Boston, Massachusetts in
1900. The American team, of which Dwight Davis was a part, surprised the British by winning the first three matches. The following year the two countries did not compete but the US won the next match in
1902. By
1905 the tournament expanded to include
Belgium,
Austria,
France, and
Australasia, a combined team from
Australia and
New Zealand that competed together until
1913.
The tournament was initially known as the
International Lawn Tennis Challenge. It was renamed the Davis Cup following the death of Dwight Davis in
1945. Dwight Davis also became a prominent politician in the United States in the 1920s, serving as Secretary of War from
1925-
29 and as Governor General of the
Philippines from 1929-
32.
From
1950 to
1967, the
Australian Davis Cup Team dominated the competition, winning the Cup 15 times in 18 years.
Since inception, the
US Davis Cup Team has won the event the most times (31), followed by Australia (23 [28 including Australasia]), France and Great Britain (9 each)[Includes British Isles 5], Sweden (7), and Australasia (5).
Up to
1973, the Davis Cup had only ever been won by the U.S.A., Great Britain, France and Australia/Australasia. Their domination was broken in
1974, when
South Africa and
India qualified for the final. India refused to play in the final that year in protest against the South African government's
apartheid policies, thus handing South Africa a walk-over victory. Since then, several other countries have gone on to capture the trophy.
On the 100th anniversary of the tournament's founding, 129 nations competed for the Davis Cup.
*2005 - Croatia wins 3-2 over Slovakia
*2004 - Spain wins 3-2 over the United States
*2003 - Australia wins 3-1 over Spain
*2002 - Russia wins 3-2 over France
*2001 - France wins 3-2 over Australia
*2000 - Spain wins 3-1 over Australia
*1999 - Australia wins 3-2 over France
*1998 - Sweden wins 4-1 over Italy
*1997 - Sweden wins 5-0 over the United States
*1996 - France wins 3-2 over Sweden
*1995 - United States wins 3-2 over Russia
*1994 - Sweden wins 4-1 over Russia
*1993 - Germany wins 4-1 over Australia
*1992 - United States wins 3-1 over Switzerland
*1991 - France wins 3-1 over the United States
*1990 - United States wins 3-2 over Australia
*1989 - West Germany wins 3-2 over Sweden
*1988 - West Germany wins 4-1 over Sweden
*1987 - Sweden wins 5-0 over India
*1986 - Australia wins 3-2 over Sweden
*1985 - Sweden wins 3-2 over West Germany
*1984 - Sweden wins 4-1 over the United States
*1983 - Australia wins 3-2 over Sweden
*1982 - United States wins 4-1 over France
*1981 - United States wins 3-1 over Argentina
*1980 - Czechoslovakia wins 4-1 over Italy
*1979 - United States wins 5-0 over Italy
*1978 - United States wins 4-1 over Great Britain
*1977 - Australia wins 3-1 over Italy
*1976 - Italy wins 4-1 over Chile
*1975 - Sweden wins 3-2 over Czechoslovakia
*1974 -
South Africa won over India on a walkover
*1973 - Australia wins 5-0 over the United States
*1972 - United States wins 3-2 over
Romania
*1971 - United States wins 3-2 over
Romania
*1970 - United States wins 5-0 over West Germany
*1969 - United States wins 5-0 over
Romania
*1968 - United States wins 4-1 over Australia
*1967 - Australia wins 4-1 over
Spain
*1966 - Australia wins 4-1 over India
*1965 - Australia wins 4-1 over
Spain
*1964 - Australia wins 3-2 over the United States
*1963 - United States wins 3-2 over Australia
*1962 - Australia wins 5-0 over
Mexico
*1961 - Australia wins 5-0 over Italy
*1960 - Australia wins 4-1 over Italy
*1959 - Australia wins 3-2 over the United States
*1958 - United States wins 3-2 over Australia
*1957 - Australia wins 3-2 over the United States
*1956 - Australia wins 5-0 over the United States
*1955 - Australia wins 5-0 over the United States
*1954 - United States wins 3-2 over Australia
*1953 - Australia wins 3-2 over the United States
*1952 - Australia wins 4-1 over the United States
*1951 - Australia wins 3-2 over the United States
*1950 - Australia wins 4-1 over United States
*1949 - United States wins 4-1 over Australia
*1948 - United States wins 5-0 over Australia
*1947 - United States wins 4-1 over Australia
*1946 - United States wins 5-0 over Australia
*1940 to 1945 - no tournament due to
World War II*1939 - Australia wins 3-2 over the United States
*1938 - United States wins 3-2 over Australia
*1937 - United States wins 4-1 over Great Britain
*1936 - Great Britain wins 3-2 over Australia
*1935 - Great Britain wins 5-0 over the United States
*1934 - Great Britain wins 4-1 over the United States
*1933 - Great Britain wins 3-2 over France
*1932 - France wins 3-2 over the United States
*1931 - France wins 3-2 over Great Britain
*1930 - France wins 4-1 over the United States
*1929 - France wins 3-2 over the United States
*1928 - France wins 4-1 over the United States
*1927 - France wins 3-2 over the United States
*1926 - United States wins 4-1 over France
*1925 - United States wins 5-0 over France
*1924 - United States wins 5-0 over Australia
*1923 - United States wins 4-1 over Australia
*1922 - United States wins 4-1 over Australia
*1921 - United States wins 5-0 over Japan
*1920 - United States wins 5-0 over Australia
*1919 - Australia wins 4-1 over Great Britain
*1915 to 1918 - no tournament due to
World War I*1914 - Australia wins 3-2 over the United States
*1913 - United States wins 3-2 over Great Britain
*1912 - Great Britain wins 3-2 over
Australasia
*1911 -
Australasia wins 5-0 over the United States
*1910 - no tournament
*1909 -
Australasia wins 5-0 over the United States
*1908 -
Australasia wins 3-2 over the United States
*1907 -
Australasia wins 3-2 over Great Britain
*1906 - Great Britain wins 5-0 over the United States
*1905 - Great Britain wins 5-0 over the United States
*1904 - Great Britain wins 5-0 over Belgium
*1903 - Great Britain wins 4-1 over the United States
*1902 - United States wins 3-2 over Great Britain
*1901 - no tournament
*1900 - United States wins 3-0 over Great Britain
| Country | Years Won | Runners Up |
|---|
| USA | 1900, 1902, 1913, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925,
1926, 1937, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1958,
1963, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1978, 1979, 1981,
1982, 1990, 1992, 1995 (31) | 1903, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1914, 1927, 1928,
1929, 1930, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1939, 1950, 1951, 1952,
1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1964, 1973, 1991, 1997,
2004 (28) |
Australia/
| Australasian Olympic Flag |
Australasia | 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1914, 1919, 1939, 1950, 1951,
1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962,
1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1983, 1986, 1999,
2003 (28) | 1912, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1936, 1938, 1946, 1947,
1948, 1949, 1954, 1958, 1963, 1990, 1993, 2000, 2001
(18) |
| Great Britain | 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1912, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936,
(9) | 1900, 1902, 1907, 1913, 1919, 1931, 1937, 1978 (8) |
| France | 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1991, 1996, 2001
(9) | 1925, 1926, 1933, 1999, 2002 (5) |
| Sweden | 1975, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1994, 1997, 1998 (7) | 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1996 (5) |
| Germany | 1988, 1989, 1993 (3) | 1985 (1) |
| Spain | 2000, 2004 (2) | 1965, 1967, 2003 (3) |
| Italy | 1976 (1) | 1960, 1961, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1998 (6) |
| Russia | 2002 (1) | 1994, 1995 (2) |
| Czechoslovakia | 1980 (1) | 1975 (1) |
| Croatia | 2005 (1) | (0) |
| South Africa | 1974 (1) | (0) |
*2005 - Croatia wins 3-2 over Slovakia
**
Ivan Ljubičić (CRO) def.
Karol Kučera (SVK), 6-3, 6-4, 6-3
**
Dominik Hrbatý (SVK) def.
Mario Ančić (CRO), 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4
**
Mario Ančić/
Ivan Ljubičić (CRO) def.
Dominik Hrbatý/
Michal Mertinak (SVK), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (5)
**
Dominik Hrbatý (SVK) def.
Ivan Ljubičić (CRO), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
**
Mario Ančić (CRO) def.
Michal Mertinak (SVK), 7-6 (1), 6-3, 6-4
*2004 - Spain wins 3-2 over the United States
**
Carlos Moyà (ESP) def.
Mardy Fish (USA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-3
**
Rafael Nadal (ESP) def.
Andy Roddick (USA) 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (6), 6-2
**
Bob Bryan/
Mike Bryan (USA) def.
Juan Carlos Ferrero/
Tommy Robredo (ESP) 6-0, 6-3, 6-2
**
Carlos Moyà (ESP) def.
Andy Roddick (USA) 6-2, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (5)
**
Mardy Fish (USA) def.
Tommy Robredo (ESP) 7-6 (8), 6-2
| Rank | Nation | Points | Previous | Rank | Nation | Points | Previous |
|---|
| 1 | Croatia | 24,818.1 | [1] | 11 | Switzerland | 4,492.2 | [10] |
| 2 | Spain | 19,575.0 | [2] | 12 | Netherlands | 3,757.8 | [12] |
| 3 | Australia | 17,750.0 | [3] | 13 | Romania | 3,259.4 | [13] |
| 4 | Russia | 17,473.8 | [4] | 14 | Sweden | 3,062.5 | [14] |
| 5 | USA | 15,375.0 | [7] | 15 | Austria | 2,582.5 | [15] |
| 6 | Argentina | 15,243.8 | [5] | 16 | Germany | 2,425.0 | [16] |
| 7 | Slovakia | 12,030.0 | [6] | 17 | Czech Republic | 2,312.5 | [23] |
| 8 | France | 9,625.0 | [8] | 18 | Thailand | 2,220.0 | [17] |
| 9 | Belarus | 7,418.8 | [9] | 19 | Serbia and Montenegro | 2,126.3 | [27] |
| 10 | Chile | 4,735.0 | [11] | 20 | Brazil | 1,952.5 | [32] |
| 2006 World Group Teams |
|---|
Argentina |
Australia |
Austria |
Belarus |
|---|
Chile |
Croatia |
France |
Germany |
|---|
Netherlands |
Romania |
Russia |
Slovakia |
|---|
Spain |
Sweden |
Switzerland |
United States |
|---|
First round draw
Played on February 10-11-12, 2006* Croatia def. Austria 3-2 in
Graz, Austria
* Argentina def. Sweden 5-0 in
Buenos Aires, Argentina
* Belarus def. Spain 4-1 in
Minsk, Belarus
* Australia def. Switzerland 3-2 in
Geneva, Switzerland
* France def. Germany 3-2 in
Halle, Germany
* Russia def. Netherlands 5-0 in
Amsterdam, Netherlands
* United States def. Romania 4-1 in
La Jolla, California, United States
* Chile def. Slovakia 4-1 in
Rancagua, Chile
Quarterfinals
Played on April 7-8-9, 2006* Argentina def. Croatia 3-2 in
Zagreb, Croatia
* Australia def. Belarus 5-0 in
Melbourne, Australia
* Russia def. France 4-1 in
Pau, France
* United States def. Chile 3-2 in
Rancho Mirage, California, United States
Semifinals
To be played on September 22-23-24, 2006* Argentina vs. Australia in
Buenos Aires, Argentina
* Russia vs. United States in Russia
*
Davis Cup structure*
Official Davis Cup website
