List of Davis Cup champions

List of Davis Cup champions
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 Davis Cup
SportTennis
Founded1900; 124 years ago (1900)
FounderDwight F. Davis
No. of teams16 (World Group)
135 (2021 total)
CountriesITF member nations
Most recent
champion(s)
 Italy
Most titles United States
(32 titles)
Official websitedaviscup.com

The Davis Cup is an annual international team event in men's tennis. Established in 1900 as the International Lawn Tennis Challenge, it is run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), who describe it as the "World Cup of tennis."[1] The first event in 1900 was a match between Great Britain and the United States,[2] while 135 nations entered the 2016 Davis Cup.[3]

The tournament sees players competing for their country in four singles and one doubles matches, known as rubbers, over the course of three days, with the team that wins three rubbers progressing.[4] The countries are divided into groups based upon their location or performance in previous years. The Davis Cup World Group is the top level of the competition and features matches between players from the top 16 countries at the start of the year.[3] Countries that lose their first round match face a relegation play-off against winning countries from the continental zones. World Group winning countries progress to the quarter-finals. Nations have to win a further three ties in order to claim the position of Davis Cup champions.[3]The United States are the most successful nation in the history of the competition, with 32 victories. Australia are second with 28 (individually or in a combined Australasia team) and Great Britain and France are tied for third with 10. Teams from Europe have won the competition the most with 48 victories, followed by North America with 33 and Oceania with 28.[5]

History

[edit]

The Davis Cup was founded in 1900 as the International Lawn Tennis Challenge. Four members of Harvard University wished to challenge Great Britain in a tennis competition. One of the American players, Dwight F. Davis, designed a tournament format and ordered a sterling silver trophy from Shreve, Crump & Low for approximately $1,000.[6] The first match, held at Longwood Cricket Club in Boston, Massachusetts, was won by the American team 3–0.[7] There was no match the following year, but the United States retained the trophy in 1902, beating Great Britain 3–2. This was followed by four successive victories for Britain, from 1903 to 1906. The 1904 Davis Cup saw new teams compete for the first time, as Belgium and France entered.[8]

Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) became the first victors outside of Britain and the United States when they won the tournament in 1907.[9] No tournament was held in 1910 as no country challenged Australasia,[10] who retained the trophy until 1912 when they were defeated by Great Britain.[11] The United States and Australasia won the two competitions prior to the outbreak of the First World War, in 1914. The tournament resumed in 1919, with Australasia retaining the trophy, beating Great Britain 4–1.[12] The Americans won the following seven tournaments before they were defeated 3–2 by France in 1927.[13] The tournament underwent restructuring for the 1923 edition. Teams were split into two zones; the 'America Zone' and 'Europe Zone', with the winners playing each other to determine who would face the defending champions.[14]

Doubles match between the Australasia and British isles in the 1912 International Lawn Tennis Challenge final.

The French won a further five successive tournaments before they were beaten 3–2 by Great Britain in 1933.[15] Australia were the last winners before the onset of the Second World War. They beat the United States 3–2 in 1939.[16] Upon resumption of the tournament in 1946, it was renamed the Davis Cup after the death of Dwight D. Davis in 1945.[17] The United States regained the title after they beat Australia 5–0.[18] They retained the title until 1950 when Australia won 4–1. This marked the start of Australian dominance of the Davis Cup, as they only lost three times from 1950 to 1967.[19] Prior to 1972, the champion received a bye directly to the final.[1]

The 1974 Davis Cup marked the first time that neither Australia or the United States won the final since 1936, as South Africa and India were the finalists.[20] However, the Indian team refused to travel to South Africa in protest at the South African government's apartheid policies, meaning that the final was scratched and South Africa were awarded the Davis Cup.[21] Sweden beat Czechoslovakia 3–2 the following year to become the first European nation since 1936 to win the Davis Cup.

The Davis Cup underwent further reorganisation in 1981 when a 16-team World Group was introduced. The remaining nations were split into regional groups with promotion and relegation to and from the World Group.[1]

Sweden reached two more finals in 1988 and 1989, but lost both times to West Germany.[22][23] The United States regained the title in 1990,[24] but they lost 3–1 to France the following year.[25] They regained the title a year later, but could not defend it in 1993 as Germany won. Sweden were victorious in 1994, and they won a further two Davis Cups in 1997 and 1998.[26] Australia regained the Davis Cup in 1999,[27] but they lost the following two finals to Spain and France respectively.[28][29] Russia won their first Davis Cup in 2002,[30] before Australia regained the title the following year.[31] Spain won the tournament for the second time in 2004,[32] and would win a further three titles in 2008, 2009 and 2011.[33] The Czech Republic won successive Davis Cups in 2012 and 2013,[34] before Switzerland won their first title in 2014.[35] In 2015, Great Britain ended the longest drought in the competition's history, 73 years, when they won their first Davis Cup since 1936, beating Belgium 3–1.[5] [36]

Finals

[edit]
Key
* Title won by away country
G Grass
C Clay
CP Carpet
H Hard
Ix Indoor
  • The "Year" column refers to the year the Davis Cup tournament was held, and wikilinks to the article about that tournament.
  • Links in the "Winners" and "Runners-up" columns point to the articles for the national teams of the countries, not the articles for the countries.
Key
Inter-Zonal winner, Challenge round winner ‡
Defending champion, Challenge round winner †
Single round ◊
Davis Cup finals[37]
Year Winner Score Runner-up Finals venue (surface) Location
1900  United States 3–0  British Isles Longwood Cricket Club (G) Boston, United States
1902  United States 3–2  British Isles Crescent Athletic Club (G) New York City, United States
1903  British Isles 4–1*  United States Longwood Cricket Club (G) Boston, United States
1904  British Isles 5–0  Belgium Worple Road (G) London, United Kingdom
1905  British Isles 5–0  United States Queen's Club (G) London, United Kingdom
1906  British Isles 5–0  United States Worple Road (G) London, United Kingdom
1907  Australasia 3–2*  British Isles Worple Road (G) London, United Kingdom
1908  Australasia 3–2  United States Albert Ground (G) Melbourne, Australia
1909  Australasia 5–0  United States Double Bay Grounds (G) Sydney, Australia
1911  Australasia 4–0  United States Lancaster Park (G) Christchurch, New Zealand
1912  British Isles 3–2*  Australasia Albert Ground (G) Melbourne, Australia
1913  United States 3–2*  Great Britain Worple Road (G) London, United Kingdom
1914  Australasia 3–2*  United States West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1919  Australasia 4–1  Great Britain Double Bay Grounds (G) Sydney, Australia
1920  United States 5–0*  Australasia Domain Cricket Club (G) Auckland, New Zealand
1921  United States 5–0  Japan West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1922  United States 4–1  Australasia West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1923  United States 4–1  Australia West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1924  United States 5–0  Australia Germantown Cricket Club (G) Philadelphia, United States
1925  United States 5–0  France Germantown Cricket Club (G) Philadelphia, United States
1926  United States 4–1  France Germantown Cricket Club (G) Philadelphia, United States
1927  France 3–2*  United States Germantown Cricket Club (G) Philadelphia, United States
1928  France 4–1  United States Stade Roland Garros (C) Paris, France
1929  France 3–2  United States Stade Roland Garros (C) Paris, France
1930  France 4–1  United States Stade Roland Garros (C) Paris, France
1931  France 3–2  Great Britain Stade Roland Garros (C) Paris, France
1932  France 3–2  United States Stade Roland Garros (C) Paris, France
1933  Great Britain 3–2*  France Stade Roland Garros (C) Paris, France
1934  Great Britain 4–1  United States Centre Court, Wimbledon (G) London, United Kingdom
1935  Great Britain 5–0  United States Centre Court, Wimbledon (G) London, United Kingdom
1936  Great Britain 3–2  Australia Centre Court, Wimbledon (G) London, United Kingdom
1937  United States 4–1*  Great Britain Centre Court, Wimbledon (G) London, United Kingdom
1938  United States 3–2  Australia Germantown Cricket Club (G) Philadelphia, United States
1939  Australia 3–2*  United States Merion Cricket Club (G) Haverford, United States
1946  United States 5–0*  Australia Kooyong Stadium (G) Melbourne, Australia
1947  United States 4–1  Australia West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1948  United States 5–0  Australia West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1949  United States 4–1  Australia West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1950  Australia 4–1*  United States West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1951  Australia 3–2  United States White City Stadium (G) Sydney, Australia
1952  Australia 4–1  United States Memorial Drive Tennis Club (G) Adelaide, Australia
1953  Australia 3–2  United States Kooyong Stadium (G) Melbourne, Australia
1954  United States 3–2*  Australia White City Stadium (G) Sydney, Australia
1955  Australia 5–0*  United States West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1956  Australia 5–0  United States Memorial Drive Tennis Club (G) Adelaide, Australia
1957  Australia 3–2  United States Kooyong Stadium (G) Melbourne, Australia
1958  United States 3–2*  Australia Milton Courts (G) Brisbane, Australia
1959  Australia 3–2*  United States West Side Tennis Club (G) New York City, United States
1960  Australia 4–1  Italy White City Stadium (G) Sydney, Australia
1961  Australia 5–0  Italy Kooyong Stadium (G) Melbourne, Australia
1962  Australia 5–0  Mexico Milton Courts (G) Brisbane, Australia
1963  United States 3–2*  Australia Memorial Drive Tennis Club (G) Adelaide, Australia
1964  Australia 3–2*  United States Harold Clark Courts (C) Cleveland, United States
1965  Australia 4–1  Spain White City Stadium (G) Sydney, Australia
1966  Australia 4–1  India Kooyong Stadium (G) Melbourne, Australia
1967  Australia 4–1  Spain Milton Courts (G) Brisbane, Australia
1968  United States 4–1*  Australia Memorial Drive Tennis Club (G) Adelaide, Australia
1969  United States 5–0  Romania Harold Clark Courts (H) Cleveland, United States
1970  United States 5–0  West Germany Harold Clark Courts (H) Cleveland, United States
1971  United States 3–2  Romania Olde Providence Racquet Club (C) Charlotte, United States
1972  United States 3–2*  Romania Club Sportiv Progresul (C) Bucharest, Romania
1973  Australia 5–0*  United States Public Auditorium (ICp) Cleveland, United States
1974  South Africa w/o  India
1975  Sweden 3–2  Czechoslovakia Kungliga tennishallen (ICp) Stockholm, Sweden
1976  Italy 4–1*  Chile Estadio Nacional (C) Santiago, Chile
1977  Australia 3–1  Italy White City Stadium (G) Sydney, Australia
1978  United States 4–1  Great Britain Mission Hills CC (H) Rancho Mirage, United States
1979  United States 5–0  Italy Civic Auditorium (ICp) San Francisco, United States
1980  Czechoslovakia 4–1  Italy Sportovní Hala (ICp) Prague, Czechoslovakia
1981  United States 3–1  Argentina Riverfront Coliseum (ICp) Cincinnati, United States
1982  United States 4–1*  France Palais des Sports (IC) Grenoble, France
1983  Australia 3–2  Sweden Kooyong Stadium (G) Melbourne, Australia
1984  Sweden 4–1  United States Scandinavium (IC) Gothenburg, Sweden
1985  Sweden 3–2*  West Germany Olympiahalle (ICp) Munich, West Germany
1986  Australia 3–2  Sweden Kooyong Stadium (G) Melbourne, Australia
1987  Sweden 5–0  India Scandinavium (IC) Gothenburg, Sweden
1988  West Germany 4–1*  Sweden Scandinavium (IC) Gothenburg, Sweden
1989  West Germany 3–2  Sweden Schleyerhalle (ICp) Stuttgart, West Germany
1990  United States 3–2  Australia Suncoast Dome (IC) St. Petersburg, United States
1991  France 3–1  United States Palais des Sports de Gerland (ICp) Lyon, France
1992  United States 3–1   Switzerland Tarrant County Center (IH) Fort Worth, United States
1993  Germany 4–1  Australia Messe Düsseldorf Exhibition Hall (IC) Düsseldorf, Germany
1994  Sweden 4–1*  Russia Olympic Stadium (ICp) Moscow, Russia
1995  United States 3–2*  Russia Olympic Stadium (IC) Moscow, Russia
1996  France 3–2*  Sweden Malmö Isstadion (IH) Malmö, Sweden
1997  Sweden 5–0  United States Scandinavium (ICp) Gothenburg, Sweden
1998  Sweden 4–1*  Italy Forum (IC) Milan, Italy
1999  Australia 3–2*  France Acropolis Exhibition Hall (IC) Nice, France
2000  Spain 3–1  Australia Palau Sant Jordi (IC) Barcelona, Spain
2001  France 3–2*  Australia Rod Laver Arena (G) Melbourne, Australia
2002  Russia 3–2*  France Palais Omnisports (IC) Paris, France
2003  Australia 3–1  Spain Rod Laver Arena (G) Melbourne, Australia
2004  Spain 3–2  United States Estadio de La Cartuja (IC) Seville, Spain
2005  Croatia 3–2*  Slovakia Sibamac Arena (IH) Bratislava, Slovakia
2006  Russia 3–2  Argentina Olympic Stadium (ICp) Moscow, Russia
2007  United States 4–1  Russia Memorial Coliseum (IH) Portland, United States
2008  Spain 3–1*  Argentina Polideportivo Islas Malvinas (IH) Mar del Plata, Argentina
2009  Spain 5–0  Czech Republic Palau Sant Jordi (IC) Barcelona, Spain
2010  Serbia 3–2  France Belgrade Arena (IH) Belgrade, Serbia
2011  Spain 3–1  Argentina Estadio de La Cartuja (IC) Seville, Spain
2012  Czech Republic 3–2  Spain O2 Arena (IH) Prague, Czech Republic
2013  Czech Republic 3–2*  Serbia Kombank Arena (IH) Belgrade, Serbia
2014   Switzerland 3–1*  France Stade Pierre-Mauroy (IC) Lille, France
2015  Great Britain 3–1*  Belgium Flanders Expo (IC) Ghent, Belgium
2016  Argentina 3–2*  Croatia Arena Zagreb (IH) Zagreb, Croatia
2017  France 3–2  Belgium Stade Pierre-Mauroy (IH) Lille, France
2018  Croatia 3–1*  France Stade Pierre-Mauroy (IC) Lille, France
2019  Spain 2–0  Canada Caja Mágica (IH) Madrid, Spain
2021[a] RTF[b] 2–0  Croatia Madrid Arena (IH) Madrid, Spain
2022  Canada 2–0  Australia Martin Carpena Arena (IH) Málaga, Spain
2023  Italy 2–0  Australia Martin Carpena Arena (IH) Málaga, Spain

Victories by team

[edit]

All-time

[edit]
Country Titles First Last
 United States 32 1900 2007
 Australia
 Australasia
28 1907 2003
 Great Britain 10 1903 2015
 France 10 1927 2017
 Sweden 7 1975 1998
 Spain 6 2000 2019
 Czechoslovakia
 Czech Republic
3 1980 2013
 West Germany
 Germany
3 1988 1993
 Russia
RTF
3 2002 2021
 Italy 2 1976 2023
 Croatia 2 2005 2018
 South Africa 1 1974
 Serbia 1 2010
  Switzerland 1 2014
 Argentina 1 2016
 Canada 1 2022

Since 1972

[edit]
Country Titles First Last
 United States 9 1972 2007
 Sweden 7 1975 1998
 Australia 6 1973 2003
 Spain 6 2000 2019
 France 4 1991 2017
 West Germany
 Germany
3 1988 1993
 Czechoslovakia
 Czech Republic
3 1980 2013
 Russia
RTF
3 2002 2021
 Italy 2 1976 2023
 Croatia 2 2005 2018
 South Africa 1 1974
 Serbia 1 2010
  Switzerland 1 2014
 Great Britain 1 2015
 Argentina 1 2016
 Canada 1 2022

Victories by continent

[edit]
Continent Wins
Europe 48
North America 33
Oceania 28
South America 1
Africa 1

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The 2020 edition was originally scheduled to take place from 23 until 29 November 2020. However, on 26 June 2020, ITF announced that 2020 Finals would take place from 22 until 28 November 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic and be named 2021 Davis Cup Finals.
  2. ^ The team from Russia was not permitted to use the Russian name, flag, or anthem in 2021; it won the Finals as the team of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF), and used the flag of the RTF.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Davis Cup History". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  2. ^ "What a racquet: Britain's Davis Cup history". BBC. Archived from the original on 18 December 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Davis Cup format". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 5 January 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  4. ^ "Davis Cup Explained". Lawn Tennis Association. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  5. ^ a b Newberry, Piers (29 November 2015). "Andy Murray wins the Davis Cup for Great Britain". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  6. ^ Grasso, John (September 2011). Davis Cup. Scarecrow Press. p. 79. ISBN 9780810874909. Retrieved 8 December 2011. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  7. ^ Schooler, Andy (3 March 2015). "Davis Cup: Player profiles and statistics ahead of this week's Great Britain v USA tie". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  8. ^ "No Tennis Challenge; Americans Will Not Enter a Team for Davis Trophy Contest" (PDF). The New York Times. 8 March 1904. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  9. ^ "Lawn Tennis Championship. Australasia Wins The Davis Cup". Sydney Morning Herald. 25 July 1907. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  10. ^ "Only Four Nations Have Held The Davis Cup". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 December 1951. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Australia and the Davis Cup". Tennis Australia. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Australasia 4–1 Great Britain". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  13. ^ "U.S. loses Davis Cup held for 7 years". Chicago Tribune. 11 September 1927. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  14. ^ Davis, Dwight F. (23 May 1923). "Tennis being developed as International Game". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  15. ^ "France". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  16. ^ "Tennis – Popular and international 1900s–1950s". Australian Government. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  17. ^ Riess, Steven A. (2015). Sports in America from Colonial Times to the Twenty-First Century: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 781. ISBN 9781317459460.
  18. ^ Clarey, Christopher (27 February 2016). "Davis Cup returns to a scene of its Grassy past". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  19. ^ "Australia". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  20. ^ Seminara, Dave (28 November 2009). "The Year the Davis Cup felt empty". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  21. ^ Tignor, Steve (19 November 2014). "The Shots Not Heard Around The World". Tennis. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  22. ^ "West Germany wins title behind Becker-Jelen". Los Angeles Times. 18 December 1988. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  23. ^ Nasstrom, Stephan (18 December 1989). "Becker dominates Wilander, W. Germany keeps Davis Cup". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  24. ^ "USA 3–2 Aus". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  25. ^ Finn, Robin (2 December 1991). "A bubbly France drinks up Davis Cup". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  26. ^ "Sweden". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  27. ^ "Philippoussis wins Davis Cup for Australia". BBC News. 5 December 1999. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  28. ^ "Spain wins first Davis Cup title". CBS News. 8 December 2000. Archived from the original on 15 April 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  29. ^ "France win Davis Cup". BBC Sport. 2 December 2001. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  30. ^ "Russia claim Davis Cup thriller". BBC Sport. 1 December 2002. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  31. ^ "1990: Teammates Agassi and Chang Propel United States in St. Pete". World Tennis Magazine. 30 November 2009. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  32. ^ Newman, Paul (2 December 2011). "Nadal lifted by golden memories of Seville". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  33. ^ "Spain". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  34. ^ "Davis Cup final: Czech Republic edge out Serbia". BBC Sport. 17 November 2013. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  35. ^ "Davis Cup final: Roger Federer dedicates win to his team-mates". BBC Sport. 23 November 2014. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  36. ^ The Davis Cup was not played in 1940-1945 due to World War II.
  37. ^ "Davis Cup finals". Davis Cup. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2016.