Dwight Davis

Davis Cup history is rich and interesting. What started off as a challenge by Harvard
students to their British counterparts in 1900 has now turned into one of the foremost
men’s tennis Events.

Dwight F Davis designed the tournament format. He also personally paid for the now
world-famous sterling silver Davis Cup, also foundly dubbed “Dwight’s Pot”.

Initially Known as the international Lawn Tennis Challenge, the tournament was renamed
the Davis Cup after the death of Davis in 1945. In the first tournament held at
the Longwood Club in Boston, Massachusetts over 100 years ago, the American Team,
including Dwight Davis, caused a bit of an upset by winning the first three matches.

The tournament was not contested the following year, but in 1902 the Americans held
on to their lead. By 1905, France, Belgium, Austria and Australasia (a combined
New Zealand and Australian team) had joined the competition. The tournament has
however, been dominated by the USA (31 wins) and Australia (28 wins) since its inception.

Between 1927 and 1932, the French team of Rene Lacoste, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet
and Jean Borotra – better known as “The Four Musketreers” – took six consecutive
wins. In 1939, the title was wrestled away from the French team by British tennis
legend Fred Perry and his team.

In 1970, 50 nations joined the Davis Cup. 1974 saw some high drama when India refused
to take the court against South Africa because of its then apartheid policy. As
a result, South Africa won the final without having to hit a ball.

By 1993, 100 nations were competing in the Davis Cup and by 2001, a record 142 nations
were competing. Over the 107 years of the Davis Cup history, some of the greatest
tennis champions in the world have represented their countries in the tournament.
Some of the greats associated with the Davis Cup are Andre Agassi, Guy Forget, John
McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Rod Laver and Fred Perry.

Here is a link to the Davis Cup History website.