The Likelihood of Live Doubles Rubber in the New Davis Cup
In the new Davis Cup Finals format, each country-versus-country tie consists of three matches: two singles and one doubles. The singles rubbers are played first, so it’s possible that the doubles...
View ArticleHow to (Partly) Fix the Davis Cup Finals
This is a guest post by Sébastien Rannaud. There was plenty to criticize about the new-look Davis Cup Finals. Fans and pundits alike took aim at the atmosphere, the one-sided home support for Spain,...
View ArticleIs Davis Cup About the Chalk?
In today’s tennis landscape, Davis Cup is a weird anachronism, in which no-name players contest five-set epics for national glory. The usual guidelines about the invincibles and the journeymen are set...
View ArticleTeam GB and the Rarity of Davis Cup Comebacks
Last weekend, the British Davis Cup squad pulled off a major upset, defeating the Russian team 3-2. Even more impressively, all three of their wins came while facing elimination. The Russians won the...
View ArticleAre There More Five-Setters in Davis Cup?
There’s no denying that Davis Cup gives us some of the most dramatic moments on the men’s tennis calendar. It’s easy, then, to fall prey to some mistaken conventional wisdom, such as the canard that...
View ArticleIn Search of Davis Cup Heroes
Come up big for one important weekend, and you can earn a reputation as a Davis Cup hero that lasts a lifetime. We tend to remember big stories and crucial moments more than career-long trends, so...
View ArticleDoubles Wins and Davis Cup Results
Today, Tomas Berdych added another chapter to his outstanding Davis Cup doubles career, partnering Radek Stepanek to give his Czech Republic a 2-1 lead in this weekend’s Davis Cup final. The absence of...
View ArticleBerdych, Djokovic, and Stars in Davis Cup
Tennis fans–especially the more old-fashioned among us–tend to agree on some things that players should always do. Among them: revere Wimbledon, admit to a net touch, and play Davis Cup. The top...
View ArticleUnlikely Davis Cup Finalists and an Early Forecast for Ghent
Among nations that have reached Davis Cup finals, neither Great Britain or Belgium quite fits the mold. The fortunes of the UK team depend almost entirely on Andy Murray. If you have to choose one...
View ArticleShould Andy Murray Skip the Tour Finals to Prepare for Davis Cup?
After advancing to the Davis Cup final, Andy Murray floated the idea that he might skip the World Tour Finals to prepare. The Belgian hosts are likely to choose clay for November’s Davis Cup tie (in...
View ArticleForecasting Davis Cup Doubles
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Davis Cup is the spotlight it shines on doubles. At ATP events, doubles matches are typically relegated to poorly-attended side courts. In Davis Cup, doubles gets a...
View ArticleBest of Five and Marin Cilic’s Improbable Collapse
Italian translation at settesei.it Leading up to the final two rubbers of this year’s Davis Cup final in Croatia, the hosts were heavily favored. They held a 2-1 advantage, and both of the remaining...
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April 13, 1973: Vilas Stops South Africa
Guillermo Vilas in 1975 South Africa was a problem. Many world leaders were quick to condemn the racist policies of the apartheid government. Less clear was what exactly to do about it. As always,...
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April 15, 1973: A Wake-Up Call From India
Vijay Amritraj in Davis Cup action Australia did not take the 1973 Davis Cup campaign lightly. The lads from Down Under had watched the trophy go to the United States for five years running, the...
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April 21, 1973: One Down, Three To Go
John Newcombe After nearly six years of waiting, the Aussie steamroller was back in action. The once-invincible Davis Cup squad from Down Under began its 1973 campaign in Japan, a giant against a...
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May 12, 1973: The B Team Heads South
Raúl Ramírez When the United States opened its 1973 campaign in Mexico City on May 11th, it was already the tenth weekend of the year that featured, somewhere around the globe, a Davis Cup tie....
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May 18, 1973: Missing in Action
Niki Pilić The week before the French Open, the 1973 Davis Cup really got rolling. 16 European Zone nations and a passel of famous names squared off in head-to-head ties scattered from Cairo to Oslo....
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July 20, 1973: Replacement Players
Manolo Santana Italy and Spain began their 1973 Davis Cup campaigns with a shot at going deep. The two Mediterranean strongholds could line up with quality pairs of singles players, even if neither...
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August 5, 1973: Woo, Pig! Sooie!
Stan Smith (left, facing) and Erik Van Dillen (right, facing) at the conclusion of their marathon Davis Cup doubles match against Chileans Jaime Fillol and Pat Cornejo United States Davis Cuppers had...
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August 13, 1973: Dream Team, Assemble
Rod Laver in 1973 The 1973 Davis Cup was down to four nations. In early August, the United States beat Chile to advance through the Americas zone. Romania held off the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia...
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