Davis Cup

The Davis Cup is the oldest and most prestigious international team event in men’s tennis. It is a competition that showcases the passion and pride of the players and fans from over 140 nations around the world.

The Davis Cup is more than just a circuit of tennis tournaments; it is a celebration of passion and pride in tennis. It is a spectacle that attracts millions of fans and sponsors every year. It is a challenge that motivates and inspires generations of players to represent their nations with honor and glory.

Davis Cup Finals Date: 21 - 26 November 2023 

Davis Cup Finals location: Malaga, Spain

2023 Davis Cup Finals Prize Money
2023 Davis Cup Finals Entry List
2023 Davis Cup Finals Draw  

History of the Davis Cup

The Davis Cup has a long and illustrious history, dating back to 1900, when it was first held as a challenge between Great Britain and the United States. Since then, the tournament has evolved and expanded, becoming a global phenomenon that attracts millions of fans and sponsors.

The idea of the Davis Cup was conceived by four members of the Harvard University tennis team, who wished to set up a match between USA and Great Britain. One of them, Dwight Davis, designed a tournament format and ordered a trophy, buying it with his own money. The trophy, which is still in use today, was named after him. The first Davis Cup took place in 1900 at the Longwood Cricket Club in Boston, and the Americans surprised their opponents by winning 3-0.

The competition began as the International Lawn Tennis Challenge, but soon became known as the Davis Cup after Dwight Davis’s trophy. In 1905, it expanded to include France, Austria, Belgium and Australasia, a combined team of players from Australia and New Zealand. By the 1920s, there were over 20 nations regularly playing in the competition. The early years were dominated by USA, Great Britain and Australasia, but that period was ended in 1927 by France. Led by the famous Four Musketeers – Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet and Rene Lacoste – France embarked on a glorious run of wins that lasted six years.

USA, Great Britain and Australia took control again from the 1930s until the 1970s, when other nations started to challenge their supremacy. In 1969, 50 nations competed in the Davis Cup for the first time. In 1972, the format was changed to a knockout tournament, so that the defending champion had to play in every round, rather than gaining a bye directly into the final. This year also marked the end of an era for Nicola Pietrangeli, who played his last tie for Italy. He still holds many Davis Cup player records, including most rubbers played (164) and most rubbers won (120).

Modern history of the Davis Cup

In 1981, the Davis Cup format was changed again to create a 16-nation World Group. The remaining nations were split into regional Zone Groups with promotion and relegation up for grabs. This year also marked the start of a commercial partnership with NEC, the competition’s first Title Sponsor, which allowed for prize money to be given. BNP Paribas took over from NEC as the competition’s Title Sponsor in 2002, before ending their agreement in April 2019.

The World Group format lasted until 2019, when it was replaced by a new format that features a Qualifiers round in February and a Finals round in November. The Finals round consists of 18 teams divided into six round-robin groups of three teams each, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. The Finals round is held at a single venue over one week, with Malaga (Spain) hosting it in 2023.

The current champions are Canada, who beat Australia to win their first title in 2022 . The most successful countries over the history of the tournament are the United States (winning 32 titles and finishing as runners-up 29 times) and Australia (winning 28 titles, including six with New Zealand as Australasia, and finishing as runners-up 20 times).

Most recent winners of the Davis Cup Finals:

2023: 

2022: Canada (CAN) defeated Australia (AUS) 2-0 in the final, held in Malaga, Spain.

2021: Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) defeated Croatia (CRO) 2-0 in the final, held in Madrid, Spain.

2020: Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic.

2019: Spain (ESP) defeated Canada (CAN) 2-0 in the final, held in Madrid, Spain.

2018: Croatia (CRO) defeated France (FRA) 3-1 in the final, held in Lille, France.

2017: France (FRA) defeated Belgium (BEL) 3-2 in the final, held in Lille, France.

2016: Argentina (ARG) defeated Croatia (CRO) 3-2 in the final, held in Zagreb, Croatia.

2015: Great Britain (GBR) defeated Belgium (BEL) 3-1 in the final, held in Ghent, Belgium.

2014: Switzerland (SUI) defeated France (FRA) 3-1 in the final, held in Lille, France.

2013: Czech Republic (CZE) defeated Serbia (SRB) 3-2 in the final, held in Belgrade, Serbia.