The 1977 Davis Cup was the 66th edition of the Davis Cup, the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 59 teams would enter the competition, 33 in the Europe Zone, 14 in the Americas Zone, and 12 in the Eastern Zone. Algeria made its first appearance in the tournament.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 25 August 1976 – 4 December 1977 |
| Edition | 66th |
| Teams | 55 |
| Champion | |
| Winning nation |  Australia |
← 1976 1978 → | |
Argentina defeated the United States in the Americas Zone final, Australia defeated New Zealand in the Eastern Zone final, and France and Italy were the winners of the two Europe Zones, defeating Romania and Spain respectively.
In the Inter-Zonal Zone, Australia defeated Argentina and Italy defeated France in the semifinals. Australia then defeated the defending champions Italy in the final to win their 24th title overall and their first since 1973. The final was held at the White City Stadium in Sydney, Australia on 2–4 December.[1][2]
Politics in the Davis Cup
editThroughout the 1960s and 1970s the Davis Cup had been affected by a number of protests and defaults by teams showing their opposition to the apartheid policies and white minority rule in South Africa and Rhodesia, and the human rights violations which occurred in Chile under Augusto Pinochet's military junta.
Several high-profile incidents included Mexico's refusal to play South Africa in the 1975 and 1976 Americas Zones, widespread protests in Sweden against the Pinochet junta during the 1975 Inter-Zonal semifinal between Sweden and Chile, and South Africa being awarded the Cup by default in 1974 after India refused to travel to South Africa for the final.[3][4][5]
This show of political will in a sporting context was not welcomed by some, and for a brief time the United States, the inaugural winner of the cup, announced their decision to withdraw from the competition due to the apparent lenience of the tournament's organisers to prevent defaults by teams. In a show of solidarity, Great Britain and France also announced their intention to withdraw.[6]
In response to these withdrawals, the Davis Cup committee made a greater commitment to keep politics out of the competition. The committee subsequently disqualified the Soviet Union as punishment for refusing to play Chile in the 1976 Inter-Zonal semifinals - the Soviets had already been barred from competing in the Federation Cup for refusing to play against South Africa and Rhodesia - from the tournament. The Soviet Union would have their entry rejected in 1978 after informing officials they would refuse to compete against South Africa.
Proposals were also brought forward to bring in an automatic one-year ban for any nation which pulled out of the tournament after the draw had been made, in an effort to prevent teams from defaulting on political grounds: [7] The United States, Great Britain and France all returned and competed in the 1977 tournament.
Americas Zone
editPreliminary rounds
edit| First Round | Qualifying Round | |||||||
 Brazil | ||||||||
| São Paulo, Brazil | ||||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Brazil | 4 | |||||||
| La Paz, Bolivia (clay) | ||||||||
 Bolivia | 0 | |||||||
| Bolivia | 4 | |||||||
 Peru | 1 | |||||||
 Argentina | ||||||||
| Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay) | ||||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Argentina | 4 | |||||||
| Montevideo, Uruguay (clay) | ||||||||
 Ecuador | 1 | |||||||
 Uruguay | 2 | |||||||
| Ecuador | 3 | |||||||
| Caracas, Venezuela | ||||||||
 Venezuela | 4 | |||||||
| Caracas, Venezuela | ||||||||
 Colombia | 0 | |||||||
| Venezuela | 1 | |||||||
 United States | 4 | |||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| United States | ||||||||
| Ottawa, Canada (indoor carpet) | ||||||||
 Canada | 5 | |||||||
| Ottawa, Canada (indoor carpet) | ||||||||
 Caribbean/West Indies | 0 | |||||||
| Canada | 2 | |||||||
 Mexico | 3 | |||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Mexico | ||||||||
Main Draw
edit| Quarterfinals 17–19 December 1976 | Semifinals 18–20 March; 15–17 April | Final 28 April–1 May | |||||||||||
 Chile | |||||||||||||
| Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay) | |||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||
| Chile | 1 | ||||||||||||
| São Paulo, Brazil (clay) | |||||||||||||
| Argentina | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Brazil | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay) | |||||||||||||
| Argentina | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Argentina | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Tucson, AZ, United States (hard) | |||||||||||||
| United States | 2 | ||||||||||||
| United States | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Newport Beach, CA, United States (hard) | |||||||||||||
| Mexico | 1 | ||||||||||||
| United States | 4 | ||||||||||||
 South Africa | 1 | ||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||
| South Africa | |||||||||||||
Final
editArgentina vs. United States
 Argentina 3 |
Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina[8] 28 April–1 May 1977 Clay |
 United States 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Zone
editPreliminary rounds
edit| First Round | Qualifying Round | |||||||
| Manila, Philippines | ||||||||
 Philippines | 4 | |||||||
 Sri Lanka | 0 | |||||||
| Philippines | ||||||||
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | ||||||||
 Thailand | w/o | |||||||
 Malaysia | 1 | |||||||
| Thailand | 4 | |||||||
 South Korea | w/o | |||||||
| Seoul, South Korea | ||||||||
 Pakistan | ||||||||
| South Korea | 2 | |||||||
| Tokyo, Japan (hard) | ||||||||
 Japan | 3 | |||||||
| Japan | 5 | |||||||
 Chinese Taipei | 0 | |||||||
Main Draw
edit| Quarterfinals 2–12 December 1976 | Semifinals 21–23 January | Final 11–13 February | |||||||||||
 New Zealand | |||||||||||||
| Auckland, New Zealand (grass) | |||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||
| New Zealand | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Jakarta, Indonesia | |||||||||||||
 Indonesia | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Indonesia | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Auckland, New Zealand (grass) | |||||||||||||
| Thailand | 0 | ||||||||||||
| New Zealand | 0 | ||||||||||||
| New Delhi, India | |||||||||||||
| Australia | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Japan | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Perth, Australia (grass) | |||||||||||||
 India | 3 | ||||||||||||
| India | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Australia | 5 | ||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||
| Australia | |||||||||||||
Final
editNew Zealand vs. Australia
 New Zealand 0 |
Stanley Street, Auckland, New Zealand[9] 11–13 February 1977 Grass |
 Australia 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Europe Zone
editZone A
editPre-qualifying rounds
edit
Preliminary rounds
edit| First Round | Qualifying Round | |||||||
| Poznań, Poland (clay) | ||||||||
 Norway | 0 | |||||||
| Warsaw, Poland | ||||||||
 Poland | 5 | |||||||
| Poland | 3 | |||||||
 West Germany | 1 | |||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| West Germany | ||||||||
| Biel, Switzerland | ||||||||
 Switzerland | 3 | |||||||
| Zürich, Switzerland | ||||||||
 Rhodesia | 2 | |||||||
| Switzerland | 2 | |||||||
 France | 3 | |||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| France | ||||||||
 Romania | ||||||||
| Bucharest, Romania (clay) | ||||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Romania | 5 | |||||||
| Brussels, Belgium | ||||||||
 Belgium | 0 | |||||||
 Bulgaria | 2 | |||||||
| Belgium | 3 | |||||||
 Czechoslovakia | ||||||||
| Prague, Czechoslovakia (clay) | ||||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Czechoslovakia | 5 | |||||||
| Dublin, Ireland | ||||||||
 Ireland | 0 | |||||||
 Iran | 2 | |||||||
| Ireland | 3 | |||||||
Main Draw
edit| Quarterfinals 6–8 May | Semifinals 9–11 June | Final 23–25 July | |||||||||||
 Soviet Union | |||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||
| Soviet Union | |||||||||||||
| Warsaw, Poland | |||||||||||||
| France | w/o | ||||||||||||
| Poland | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Paris, France (clay) | |||||||||||||
| France | 5 | ||||||||||||
| France | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Bucharest, Romania (clay) | |||||||||||||
| Romania | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Romania | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Bucharest, Romania (clay) | |||||||||||||
| Czechoslovakia | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Romania | 4 | ||||||||||||
 Great Britain | 1 | ||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||
| Great Britain | |||||||||||||
Final
editFrance vs. Romania
 France 3 |
Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France[10] 23–25 July 1977 Clay |
 Romania 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zone B
editPre-qualifying rounds
edit| First Round | Qualifying Round | |||||||
 Israel | ||||||||
| Tel Aviv, Israel (hard) | ||||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Israel | 5 | |||||||
 Turkey | 0 | |||||||
 Kenya | ||||||||
| Turkey | w/o | |||||||
 Luxembourg | ||||||||
| Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg | ||||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Luxembourg | 0 | |||||||
 Finland | 5 | |||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Finland | ||||||||
Preliminary rounds
edit| First Round | Qualifying Round | |||||||
| Scheveningen, Netherlands (clay) | ||||||||
 Netherlands | 5 | |||||||
| Scheveningen, Netherlands (clay) | ||||||||
| Israel | 0 | |||||||
| Netherlands | 0 | |||||||
 Yugoslavia | 5 | |||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Yugoslavia | ||||||||
| Athens, Greece (clay) | ||||||||
 Greece | 3 | |||||||
| Athens, Greece (clay) | ||||||||
 Denmark | 1 | |||||||
| Greece | 0 | |||||||
 Spain | 5 | |||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Spain | ||||||||
 Sweden | ||||||||
| Uppsala, Sweden (indoor hard) | ||||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Sweden | 5 | |||||||
| Lisbon, Portugal (clay) | ||||||||
 Monaco | 0 | |||||||
 Portugal | 1 | |||||||
| Monaco | 4 | |||||||
| Vienna, Austria | ||||||||
 Austria | 5 | |||||||
| Vienna, Austria | ||||||||
| Finland | 0 | |||||||
| Austria | 5 | |||||||
 Egypt | 0 | |||||||
| bye | ||||||||
| Egypt | ||||||||
Main Draw
edit| Quarterfinals 6–8 May | Semifinals 15–25 July | Final 29 July–1 August | |||||||||||
 Hungary | |||||||||||||
| Budapest, Hungary (clay) | |||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||
| Hungary | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Belgrade, Yugoslavia (clay) | |||||||||||||
| Spain | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Yugoslavia | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Barcelona, Spain (clay) | |||||||||||||
| Spain | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Spain | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Stockholm, Sweden (indoor carpet) | |||||||||||||
 Italy | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Sweden | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Båstad, Sweden (clay) | |||||||||||||
| Austria | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Sweden | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Italy | 4 | ||||||||||||
| bye | |||||||||||||
| Italy | |||||||||||||
Final
editSpain vs. Italy
 Spain 2 |
Barcelona, Spain[11] 29 July–1 August 1977 Clay[12] |
 Italy 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Inter-Zonal Zone
editDraw
edit| Semifinals 14–16 September | Final 2–4 December | |||||||
| Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay) | ||||||||
| AME | Argentina | 2 | ||||||
| Sydney, Australia (grass) | ||||||||
| EAS | Australia | 3 | ||||||
| EAS | Australia | 3 | ||||||
| Rome, Italy (clay) | ||||||||
| EUR-A | Italy | 1 | ||||||
| EUR-B | Italy | 4 | ||||||
| EUR-A | France | 1 | ||||||
Semifinals
editArgentina vs. Australia
| Argentina 2 |
Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina[13] 14–16 September 1977 Clay |
Australia 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italy vs. France
| Italy 4 |
Foro Italico, Rome, Italy[14] 14–16 September 1977 Clay |
France 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Final
editAustralia vs. Italy
| Australia 3 |
White City Stadium, Sydney, Australia[2] 2–4 December 1977 Grass |
Italy 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
edit- ^ Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 495–496, 499. ISBN 978-0942257700.
- ^ a b "Australia v Italy". daviscup.com.
- ^ "Mexicans Shun Davis Cup Foe". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. 8 March 1975. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ Anno 75 (1976), Årskalender utgiven av Förlagshuset Norden AB, Malmö, och Svenska Dagbladet, Stockholm, pp. 35, 36.
- ^ Seminara, Dave (2009-11-28). "The Year the Davis Cup Felt Empty". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
- ^ "U.S. Pulls Out of Davis Cup In Protest". Star-News. United Press International. 2 July 1976. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- ^ "Soviets Barred from Davis Cup". The Daily Sentinel. United Press International. 8 November 1976. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Argentina v United States". daviscup.com.
- ^ "Argentina v Australia". daviscup.com.
- ^ "France v Romania". daviscup.com.
- ^ "Spain v Italy". daviscup.com.
- ^ "Manuel Orantes vs Adriano Panatta". atptour.com.
- ^ "Argentina v Australia". daviscup.com.
- ^ "Italy v France". daviscup.com.