Davis Cup in History - On This Day

Events in Sport

• 1900-02-09 Dwight Davis establishes a new tennis trophy, the Davis Cup
• 1900-08-08 1st International Lawn Tennis Challenge (precursor to Davis Cup) begins at Longwood Cricket Club in Massachusetts, won 3-0 by the US over the British Isles
• 1900-08-09 1st International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Boston, MA: Dwight Davis and Holcombe Ward beat Ernest Black and Herbert Roper Barrett 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to give the US an unassailable 3-0 lead over the British Isles

• 1902-08-08 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Brooklyn, NY: Malcolm Whitman beats Reginald Doherty 6-1,7-5,6-4 to give US a 3-2 win over the British Isles

International Lawn Tennis Challenge

1903-08-08 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Boston, MA: Laurence Doherty beats William Larned 6-3, 6-8, 6-0, 2-6, 7-5 to give British Isles an unassailable 3-1 lead over US (ends 4-1)

• 1904-07-04 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon: Laurence Doherty & Reggie Doherty beat Paul de Borman & William le Maire de Warzée 6-0, 6-1,6-3 to give British Isles an unassailable 3-0 lead over Belgium (ends 5-0)
• 1905-07-24 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon: Laurence Doherty & Reggie Doherty beat Holcombe Ward & Beals Wright 8-10, 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 8-6 to give British Isles an unassailable 3-0 lead over US (ends 5-0)
• 1906-06-17 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon: Laurence Doherty & Reginald Doherty beat Raymond Little & Holcombe Ward3-6,11-9, 9-7,6-1 to give British Isles an unassailable 3-0 lead over US (ends 5-0)

International Lawn Tennis Challenge

1907-07-23 International Lawn Tennis Challenge (later Davis Cup) at Wimbledon: Norman Brookes beats Herbert Roper Barrett 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 to give Australasia a 3-2 win over British Isles

Australasia Wins

1908-11-30 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Melbourne, Australia: Anthony Wilding representing Australasia beats American Fred Alexander 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to give defending champions a 3-2 victory

• 1909-11-29 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Sydney, Australia: Norman Brookes & Anthony Wilding beat Americans Melville Long & Maurice McLoughlin 12-10, 9-7, 6-3; Australasia unassailable 3-0 lead; win 5-0
• 1912-01-02 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Christchurch, NZ: Norman Brookes & Alfred Dunlop beat Americans Maurice McLoughlin & Beals Wright 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4; Australasia unassailable 3-0 lead; win 4-0
• 1912-11-30 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Melbourne, Australia: James Cecil Parke beats Rodney Heaths 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to give British Isles 3-2 victory over defending champions Australasia

International Lawn Tennis Challenge

1913-07-27 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon, England: Maurice McLoughlin beats Charles Dixon 8-6, 6-3, 6-2 to give US an unassailable 3-1 lead over the British Isles; US wins, 3-2

• 1914-08-15 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, NYC, New York: Norman Brookes beats American Dick Norris Williams 6-1, 6-2, 8-10, 6-3 to give Australasia unassailable 3-1 lead; win 3-2

Patterson Defeats Kingscote

1919-01-20 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Double Bay, Sydney: Gerald Patterson beats Algernon Kingscote 6-4, 6-4, 8-6 to retain title for Australasia over the Great Britain, 3-1; ends 4-1

• 1920-01-21 14th Davis Cup: Australasia beats Great Britain in Sydney (4-1)
• 1920-07-16 15th Davis Cup: USA beats Australasia in Auckland (5-0)

• 1921-09-03 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, NYC, NY: Americans Watson Washburn & William Norris beat Japanese pair Ichiya Kumagae & Zenzo Shimizuto 6-2, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 for 3-0 lead; ends 5-0
• 1922-09-04 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, NYC, NY: Bill Tilden beats James Anderson 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 for unassailable 3-1 lead for US over Australasia; US retains title, ends 4-1
• 1922-09-05 17th Davis Cup: USA beats Australasia in New York (4-1)
• 1923-09-02 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, NYC, NY: Bill Johnson beats John Hawkes 6-0, 6-2, 6-1 for unassailable 3-1 lead for US over Australia; ends 4-1; US 4th straight win
• 1924-09-12 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Philadelphia, PA: Bill Johnston & Bill Tilden clinch US 5th straight title beating Australians Pat O'Hara Wood & Gerald Patterson 5-7, 6-3, 6-4,6-1 for 3-0 lead; ends 5-0
• 1924-09-13 19th Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Philadelphia (5-0)
• 1925-09-12 20th Davis Cup: USA beats France in Philadelphia (5-0)

International Lawn Tennis Challenge

1926-09-10 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Philadelphia, PA: Vincent Richards & R. Norris Williams clinch US 7th straight title; beat Jacques Brugnon & Henri Cochet of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 for 3-0 lead; ends 4-1

• 1926-09-11 21st Davis Cup: USA beats France in Philadelphia (4-1), for their 7th straight championship
• 1927-09-10 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Philadelphia, PA: Henri Cochet beats Bill Johnson 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 to clinch a 3-2 win for France and break 7 title US win streak
• 1928-07-29 23rd Davis Cup: France beats USA in Paris (4-1)
• 1928-07-29 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Paris, France: Home team retains title as Henri Cochet beats American Bill Tilden 9-7, 8-6, 6-4 for 3-1 lead; ends 4-1
• 1929-07-28 24th Davis Cup: France beats USA in Paris (3-2)
• 1929-07-28 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Paris, France: Home team wins 3 straight titles as Henri Cochet beats American George Lott 6-1, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 for a 3-2 victory

International Lawn Tennis Challenge

1930-07-27 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Paris, France: Home team wins 4th straight title as Jean Borotra beats American George Lott 5-7, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 8-6 for unassailable 3-1 lead; ends 4-1

International Lawn Tennis Challenge

1931-07-26 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Paris, France: Henri Cochet beats Fred Perry 6-4, 1-6, 9-7, 6-3 to give France 3-2 win over Great Britain and 5th straight title

• 1932-07-31 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Paris, France: Home team wins 6th straight title as Jean Borotra beats American Wilmer Allison 1-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 for unassailable 3-1 lead; ends 3-2
• 1933-07-30 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Paris, France: Fred Perry beats André Merlin 4-6, 8-6, 6-2, 7-5 to give Great Britain a 3-2 victory over France; ends French 6 title win streak
• 1934-07-31 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon: Fred Perry beats American Frank Shields 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 15-13 to give Great Britain unassailable 3-1 lead to retain title; ends 4-1
• 1935-07-29 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon: 3rd straight GB title as Pat Hughes & Raymond Tuckey beat Americans Wilmer Allison & John Van Ryn 6-2, 1-6, 6-8, 6-3, 6-3 for unassailable 3-0 lead; ends 5-0
• 1936-07-28 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon: 4 straight titles for GB as Fred Perry beats Australian Jack Crawford 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 for a 3-2 victory
• 1937-07-27 32nd Davis Cup: USA beats Great Britain in Wimbledon (4-1)
• 1937-07-27 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon: GB 4 title streak ends as American Frank Parker beats Charles Hare 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 for an unbeatable 3-1 lead; ends 4-1
• 1938-09-05 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Philadelphia, PA: US retain title as Don Budge beats Australian Adrian Quist 8-6, 6-1, 6-2 for unbeatable 3-1 lead; ends 3-2

International Lawn Tennis Challenge

1939-09-05 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Haverford, PA: John Bromwich beats American Frank Parker 6-0, 6-3, 6-1 to give Australia the title, 3-2

• 1946-12-28 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Melbourne, Australia: Jack Kramer & Ted Schroeder give US unassailable 3-0 lead; beat Australians John Bromwich & Adrian Quist 6-2, 7-5, 6-4; ends 5-0
• 1947-09-01 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: USA retains title as Ted Schroeder outlasts Australian Dinny Pails 6-3, 8-6, 4-6, 9-11, 10-8 4-1 for a 3-1 lead; ends 4-1
• 1948-09-05 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: 3 straight titles for US as Gardnar Mulloy & Bill Talbert beat Australians Colin Long & Bill Sidwell 8-6, 9-7, 2-6, 7-5 for unassailable 3-0 lead; ends 5-0
• 1949-08-28 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: US takes trophy for third straight year with last day singles wins to Ted Schroeder and Pancho Gonzales; beat Australia, 4-1
• 1950-07-12 ILTF re-admit Germany and Japan in Davis Cup, Poland & Hungary withdraws
• 1950-08-26 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: Tom Brown beats Ken McGregor in 5 sets but Australia breaks US stranglehold on trophy with a dominant 4-1 victory

Australia Defeats US

1951-12-28 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, White City, Sydney: Frank Sedgman outclasses Vic Seixas 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the deciding rubber as Australia beats US, 3-2 in Sydney to retain Cup

Australia Retains Title

1952-12-31 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Memorial Drive, Adelaide: Vic Seixas beats Ken McGregor in 4 sets but Australia retains title for third straight year; beats US, 4-1 in Adelaide

• 1953-12-31 42nd Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Melbourne (3-2)
• 1954-12-28 43rd Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Sydney (3-2)
• 1955-08-26 1st color telecast (NBC) of a tennis match (Davis Cup)
• 1955-12-28 44th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in New York (5-0)
• 1956-12-27 45th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Adelaide (5-0)
• 1957-12-06 Gardnar Mulloy becomes oldest American to win a Davis Cup tennis match at age 44 years, 14 days; teams with Vic Seixas to give US a match-clinching, 3-0 lead over the Philippines in the Inter Zone 1st round in Adelaide, Australia
• 1957-12-28 46th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Melbourne (3-2)
• 1958-12-31 47th Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Brisbane (3-2)
• 1959-08-31 48th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in New York (3-2)
• 1960-12-13 Italy beats US in Davis Cup (1st time in 24 years US not in finals)
• 1960-12-28 49th Davis Cup: Australia beats Italy in Sydney (4-1)
• 1961-12-28 50th Davis Cup: Australia beats Italy in Melbourne (5-0)
• 1962-12-28 51st Davis Cup: Australia beats Mexico in Brisbane (5-0)

Arthur Ashe

1963-08-01 Arthur Ashe becomes first African-American tennis player to be named in the US Davis Cup team

US Thrilling Victory

1963-12-28 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Adelaide: American Chuck McKinley beats Australia's John Newcombe 10-12, 6-2, 9-7, 6-2 in the deciding rubber to give US a thrilling 3-2 victory

• 1964-09-28 53rd Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Cleveland (3-2)

Australia Win Over Spain

1965-12-28 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Sydney: John Newcombe & Tony Roche beat José Luis Arilla & Manuel Santana of Spain 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to give Australia unassailable 3-0 lead; ends 4-1

Australia Defeats India

1966-12-28 55th Davis Cup, Melbourne: Australian Roy Emerson beats Ramanathan Krishnan of India 6-0, 6-2, 10-8 for an unassailable 3-1 lead; ends 4-1

• 1967-12-28 56th Davis Cup: Australia beats Spain in Brisbane (4-1)
• 1968-12-28 57th Davis Cup: USA beats Australia in Adelaide (4-1)

Davis Cup

1969-09-20 58th Davis Cup: American pair Bob Lutz & Stan Smith clinch final 8-6, 6-1, 11-9 over Ilie Năstase & Ion Țiriac of Romania in Cleveland, OH; ends 5-0

• 1970-08-31 59th Davis Cup: US beats Germany in Cleveland (5-0); American 22nd title
• 1971-10-11 60th Davis Cup: US beats Romania in Charlotte (3-2); American 23rd title
• 1972-10-15 61st Davis Cup: USA beats Romania in Bucharest (3-2)

Australia Victory

1973-12-01 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Cleveland, Ohio: Rod Laver and John Newcombe beat American pair Stan Smith and Erik van Dillen 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to give Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead, (ends 5-0); 23rd Cup title for Australia

• 1973-12-02 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Cleveland: After clinching a famous victory the previous day, Australians Rod Laver and John Newcombe finish a 5-0 rout of the US with wins over Stan Smith and Tom Gorman
• 1974-12-01 South Africa is awarded the Davis Cup tennis title after India refuses to travel to South Africa for the final in protest of the South African government's apartheid policies

Borg Gives Sweden Win

1975-12-21 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Stockholm, Sweden: Home town hero Björn Borg beats Czech Jan Kodeš 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 to give Sweden unassailable 3-1 lead; ends 3-2

• 1976-12-19 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Santiago, Chile: Paolo Bertolucci & Adriano Panatta give Italy unassailable 3-0 lead; beat Patricio Cornejo & Jaime Fillol of Chile 6-3, 2-6, 9-7, 6-3; ends, 4-1
• 1977-12-04 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Sydney: John Alexander beats Adriano Panatta of Italy 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 8-6, 11-9 in a 3 hour, 54 minute classic to give Australia a 3-1 victory
• 1978-12-10 67th Davis Cup: USA beats Great Britain in Rancho Mirage (4-1)
• 1979-12-16 68th Davis Cup: USA beats Italy in San Francisco (5-0)
• 1980-12-07 69th Davis Cup: Czechoslovakia beats Italy in Prague (4-1)
• 1981-12-13 70th Davis Cup: USA beats Argentina in Cincinnati (3-1)

US Wins Davis Cup

1982-11-27 Davis Cup, Grenoble, France: US takes unassailable, 3-0 lead over France as John McEnroe & Peter Flemming take the doubles 6-3, 6-4, 9-7 over Henri Leconte & Yannick Noah; tie ends 4-1

• 1983-12-28 72nd Davis Cup: Australia beats Sweden in Melbourne (3-2)
• 1984-12-18 73rd Davis Cup: Sweden beats USA in Gothenburg (4-1)
• 1985-12-22 74th Davis Cup: Sweden beats Germany in Munich (3-2)
• 1986-12-28 75th Davis Cup: Australia beats Sweden in Melbourne (3-2), helped by Pat Davis ranked 412th in the world
• 1987-03-15 US Davis Cup team loses to Paraguay
• 1987-12-20 76th Davis Cup: Sweden beats India in Gothenburg (5-0)
• 1988-12-17 77th Davis Cup: Germany beats Sweden in Gothenburg (4-1)
• 1989-12-17 78th Davis Cup: Germany beats Sweden in Stuttgart (3-2)

US Victory

1990-12-01 Davis Cup Tennis, St. Petersburg, Florida: Rick Leach and Jim Pugh beat Australian pair Pat Cash and John Fitzgerald 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 to clinch an unassailable 3-0 lead (ends 3-2) for the US

French Victory

1991-12-01 Davis Cup Tennis, Lyon: Frenchman Guy Forget upsets Pete Sampras 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to clinch a 3-1 final win over the US

• 1992-12-06 81st Davis Cup: USA beats Switzerland in Fort Worth (3-1)

US Defeat Switzerland

1992-12-06 Davis Cup Tennis, Ft. Worth, Texas: Jim Courier defeats Jakob Hlasek of Switzerland 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to give the US a 3-1 victory

• 1993-12-05 82nd Davis Cup: Germany beats Australia in Dusseldorf (4-1)
• 1994-12-04 83rd Davis Cup: Sweden beats Russia in Moscow (4-1)
• 1995-03-31 Second time in tennis history, world #1 and #2 ranked players play in the same Davis Cup team; Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi score victories in US quarter-final win against Italy in Palermo
• 1995-12-03 Davis Cup Tennis, Moscow: Pete Sampras beats Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 to give US a winning 3-1 lead (ends 3-2); record 31st US title
• 1996-12-01 Davis Cup Tennis, Malmo, Sweden: Arnaud Boetsch beats Sweden's Nicklas Kulti in closest deciding match in Cup history 7-6, 2-6, 4-6, 7-6, 10-8 to give France 3-2 victory
• 1997-11-30 86th Davis Cup: Sweden sweeps US in Gothenburg (5-0)
• 1998-12-06 87th Davis Cup: Sweden beats Italy in Milan (4-1)
• 1999-12-05 88th Davis Cup: Australia beats France in Nice (3-2)
• 2000-12-10 89th Davis Cup: Spain beats Australia in Barcelona (3-1)
• 2001-12-02 Davis Cup Tennis, Melbourne: Nicolas Escudé defeats Wayne Arthurs of Australia 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 to give France a 3-2 victory; 9th French title, despite not playing a single match on home soil
• 2001-12-20 90th Davis Cup: France beats Australia in Melbourne (3-2)
• 2002-12-01 Davis Cup Tennis, Paris: Mikhail Youzhny beats Paul-Henri Mathieu 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 to give Russia 3-2 win over France; only time in event history that a 2-set deficit turned around in a live 5th rubber of a Final
• 2003-11-30 92nd Davis Cup: Australia beats Spain in Melbourne (3-1)
• 2004-12-05 93rd Davis Cup: Spain beats USA in Seville (3-2)
• 2005-12-04 94th Davis Cup: Croatia beats Slovak Republic in Bratislava (3-2)

Davis Cup

2006-12-03 Davis Cup Tennis, Moscow: Marat Safin beats José Acasuso of Argentina 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 to clinch Russia's 3-2 victory

• 2007-12-01 Davis Cup Tennis, Portland, Oregan: Bob and Mike Bryan team to give US an unassailable 3-0 lead (ends 4-1) over Russia; beat Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev 7-6, 6-4, 6-2; 32nd US title
• 2008-11-23 97th Davis Cup: Spain beats Argentina in Mar del Plata (3-1)
• 2009-12-06 98th Davis Cup: Spain beats Czech Republic in Barcelona (5-0)
• 2010-12-05 99th Davis Cup: Serbia beats France in Belgrade (3-2)
• 2011-12-04 100th Davis Cup: Spain beats Argentina in Seville (3-1)
• 2012-11-18 101st Davis Cup: Czech Republic beats Spain in Prague (3-2)
• 2013-11-17 102nd Davis Cup: Czech Republic beats Serbia in Belgrade (3-2)
• 2014-11-23 103rd Davis Cup: Switzerland beats France in Lille (3-1), winning the Davis Cup for the first time
• 2015-11-29 104th Davis Cup: Great Britain beats Belgium in Ghent 6-3, 7-5, 6-3, 1st win since 1936
• 2018-08-16 International Tennis Federation votes to change format of the Davis Cup to a big prize money, season-ending, 18-team tournament at a neutral site; 24 team qualifying tournament to start in February 2019
• 2018-11-25 Davis Cup Tennis, Lille: Marin Čilić beats Frenchman Lucas Pouille 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 to wrap up the final for Croatia, 3-1

Spanish Victory

2019-11-24 Davis Cup Tennis, Madrid: Rafael Nadal beats Denis Shapovalov of Russia 6-3, 7-6 to give Spain an unassailable 2-0 lead and a 6th Cup title; first competition under new week-long format at one venue

• 2023-11-26 Davis Cup Tennis, Málaga, Spain: Jannik Sinner and Matteo Arnaldi win their singles matches to lead Italy to a 2-0 win over Australia and a second title

Birthdays in Sport

• 1879-07-05 Dwight F. Davis, American politician (49th United States Secretary of War) and founder of Davis Cup, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1945)

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