1978 Davis Cup

1978 Davis Cup
Details
Duration	27 August 1977 – 10 December 1978
Edition	67th
Teams	50
Champion
Winning Nation	United States
	← 1977 1979 →

Last updated February 20, 2023

The 1978 Davis Cup was the 67th edition of the Davis Cup, the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 50 teams entered the competition, 29 in the Europe Zone, 10 in the Americas Zone, and 11 in the Eastern Zone.

In the Inter-Zonal Zone, the United States defeated Sweden and Great Britain defeated Australia in the semifinals. The United States then defeated Great Britain in the final to win their 25th title overall and their first since 1972. The final was held at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, United States on 8–10 December.^[1]^[2]

Political controversy

The competition was significantly marked by political issues: Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, and the Caribbean/West Indies all withdrew from the North & Central America Zone due to the continued presence of South Africa in the competition, despite continued international condemnation of their government's apartheid policies.^[3]

The North & Central America Zone final between the United States and South Africa, held at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, attracted crowds of up to 5,000 protesters each day, and efforts by the South African side to appease critics by nominating Peter Lamb as its first "coloured" player were derided by some as tokenism, given he did not actually play during the tie and was a student enrolled at Vanderbilt University at the time of the tournament.^[4]^[5]^[6]

The Soviet Union continued to be barred for competing following its refusal to compete against Chile in the 1976 semifinals and its promised refusal to compete against South Africa.

Americas Zone

North & Central America Zone


Semifinals		Final



United States
		Nashville, TN, United States (indoor carpet)
bye
		United States	4
Johannesburg, South Africa
		South Africa	1
South Africa	4

Colombia	1

South America Zone

Preliminary rounds


First Round		Qualifying Round



Chile
		Santiago, Chile
bye
		Chile	5
Lima, Peru
		Bolivia	0
Peru	0

Bolivia	5

Montevideo, Uruguay (clay)

Uruguay	3
		Montevideo, Uruguay
Ecuador	2
		Uruguay	4

		Brazil	1
bye

Brazil

Main Draw


Semifinals 18–20 December 1977		Final 17–19 March

Santiago, Chile

Chile	5
		Santiago, Chile (clay)
Uruguay	0
		Chile	3

		Argentina	2
bye

Argentina

Americas Inter-Zonal Final

Chile vs. United States

Chile
2

Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile ^[7]
15–17 September 1978
Clay^[8]

United States
3

		1	2	3	4
1	Jaime Fillol Brian Gottfried	4 6	5 7	2 6
2	Hans Gildemeister Harold Solomon	5 7	6 3	3 6	1 6
3	Jaime Fillol / Belus Prajoux Brian Gottfried / John McEnroe	6 3	3 6	6 8	3 6
4	Jaime Fillol Harold Solomon	6 3	6 2
5	Hans Gildemeister Brian Gottfried	4 6	7 5	12 10

Eastern Zone

Preliminary rounds


First Round		Qualifying Round

Manila, Philippines

Philippines	5
		Manila, Philippines
Thailand	0
		Philippines	1
Tokyo, Japan
		Japan	4
Japan	5

Chinese Taipei	0

Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Pakistan	4
		Seoul, South Korea
Malaysia	0
		Pakistan	2

		South Korea	3
bye

South Korea

Main Draw

Quarterfinals
9–12 December 1977

Semifinals
19–22 January

Final
24–26 February

Australia

Tokyo, Japan (clay)

bye

Australia

5

Tokyo, Japan

Japan

0

Indonesia

1

Adelaide, Australia (grass)

Japan

4

Australia

4

Coimbatore, India

New Zealand

0

South Korea

1

New Delhi, India

India

4

India

1

New Zealand

4

bye

New Zealand

Final

Australia vs. New Zealand

Australia
4

Memorial Drive, Adelaide, Australia ^[9]
24–26 February 1978
Grass

New Zealand
0

		1	2	3	4	5
1	Tony Roche Chris Lewis	13 11	6 3	6 2
2	John Alexander Brian Fairlie	6 4	6 4	6 4
3	John Alexander / Tony Roche Brian Fairlie / Chris Lewis	6 3	6 4	12 14	4 6	6 1
4	John Alexander Chris Lewis	8 10	16 14	6 1	9 7
5	Allan Stone Brian Fairlie	2 6	6 1				not completed

Europe Zone

Zone A

Preliminary rounds


First Round		Qualifying Round

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Monaco	5
		Monte Carlo, Monaco (clay)
Luxembourg	0
		Monaco	0

		Great Britain	5
bye

Great Britain

Tel Aviv, Israel (hard)

Israel	5
		Tel Aviv, Israel (hard)
Finland	0
		Israel	2

		Austria	3
bye

Austria



Czechoslovakia
		Prague, Czechoslovakia (indoor clay)
bye
		Czechoslovakia	3
Zeist, Netherlands (clay)
		Netherlands	1
Netherlands	4

Greece	1



Poland
		Warsaw, Poland
bye
		Poland	4
Algiers, Algeria (clay)
		Iran	1
Algeria	1

Iran	4

Main Draw

Quarterfinals
16–18 June

Semifinals
13–15 July

Final
15–17 September

France

Paris, France (clay)

bye

France

2

Bristol, United Kingdom (grass)

Great Britain

3

Great Britain

5

Eastbourne, United Kingdom (grass)

Austria

0

Great Britain

5

Prague, Czechoslovakia (clay)

Czechoslovakia

0

Czechoslovakia

3

Prague, Czechoslovakia (clay)

Poland

2

Czechoslovakia

5

Romania

0

bye

Romania

Final

Great Britain vs. Czechoslovakia

Great Britain
5

Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, United Kingdom ^[10]
15–17 September 1978
Grass

Czechoslovakia
0

		1	2	3	4	5
1	John Lloyd Jiří Hřebec	9 7	6 3	4 6	5 7	12 10
2	Buster Mottram Ivan Lendl	6 4	7 5	7 5
3	Mark Cox / David Lloyd Jan Kodeš / Tomáš Šmíd	6 4	13 15	6 4	2 6	6 4
4	Mark Cox Ivan Lendl	6 2	6 4	6 3
5	Buster Mottram Jiří Hřebec	5 7	3 6	6 3	6 4	6 0

Zone B

Pre-qualifying round


	Pre-qualifying round

	Casablanca, Morocco

	Morocco		5

	Turkey		0

Preliminary rounds


First Round		Qualifying Round

Casablanca, Morocco (clay)

Morocco	4
		Casablanca, Morocco
Norway	1
		Morocco	0

		Yugoslavia	5
bye

Yugoslavia

Dublin, Ireland (grass)

Ireland	4
		Dublin, Ireland (indoor hard)
Portugal	1
		Ireland	0

		Sweden	5
bye

Sweden



Hungary
		Pécs, Hungary
bye
		Hungary	4
Brussels, Belgium (clay)
		Belgium	1
Belgium	3

Denmark	2

Lucerne, Switzerland

Switzerland	5
		Zürich, Switzerland
Egypt	0
		Switzerland	0

		West Germany	5
bye

West Germany

Main Draw

Quarterfinals
13–18 June

Semifinals
13–16 July

Final
15–17 September

Spain

Båstad, Sweden (clay)

bye

Spain

2

Belgrade, Yugoslavia (clay)

Sweden

3

Yugoslavia

2

Båstad, Sweden (clay)

Sweden

3

Sweden

3

Budapest, Hungary

Hungary

1

Hungary

3

Budapest, Hungary

West Germany

2

Hungary

4

Italy

1

bye

Italy

Final

Sweden vs. Hungary

Sweden
3

Båstad Tennis Stadium, Båstad, Sweden ^[11]
15–17 September 1978
Clay

Hungary
1

		1	2	3	4	5
1	Kjell Johansson Balázs Taróczy	7 5	6 2	6 4
2	Björn Borg Péter Szőke	6 2	6 0	6 0
3	Ove Bengtson / Tenny Svensson Péter Szőke / Balázs Taróczy	2 6	1 6	10 12
4	Kjell Johansson Péter Szőke	3 6	7 5	6 1	3 6	6 1
5	Tenny Svensson Balázs Taróczy	2 6	6 4	5 5			not completed

Inter-Zonal Zone

Draw


Semifinals 6–8 October			Final 8–10 December

Gothenburg, Sweden (indoor carpet)

EUR-B	Sweden	2
			Rancho Mirage, CA, United States (hard)
AME	United States	3
			AME	United States	4
London, United Kingdom (indoor carpet)
			EUR-A	Great Britain	1
EAS	Australia	2

EUR-A	Great Britain	3

Semifinals

Sweden vs. United States

Sweden
2

Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden ^[12]
6–8 October 1978
Carpet (indoors)

United States
3

		1	2	3	4	5
1	Björn Borg Arthur Ashe	6 4	7 5	6 3
2	Kjell Johansson Vitas Gerulaitis	2 6	1 6	4 6
3	Ove Bengtson / Björn Borg Bob Lutz / Stan Smith	6 2	3 6	6 3	5 7	3 6
4	Kjell Johansson Arthur Ashe	2 6	0 6	5 7
5	Björn Borg Vitas Gerulaitis	6 3	6 1

Great Britain vs. Australia

Great Britain
3

National Sports Centre, London, United Kingdom ^[13]
6–8 October 1978
Carpet (indoors)

Australia
2

		1	2	3	4
1	Buster Mottram Tony Roche	8 6	3 6	7 5	6 4
2	John Lloyd John Alexander	7 5	6 2	6 2
3	Mark Cox / David Lloyd Ross Case / Geoff Masters	8 6	3 6	6 4	6 3
4	John Lloyd Tony Roche	3 6	3 6	2 6
5	Buster Mottram John Alexander	2 6	3 6	2 6

Final

United States vs. Great Britain

United States
4

Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, CA, United States ^[2]
8–10 December 1978
Hard

Great Britain
1

		1	2	3	4	5
1	John McEnroe John Lloyd	6 1	6 2	6 2
2	Brian Gottfried Buster Mottram	6 4	6 2	8 10	4 6	3 6
3	Bob Lutz / Stan Smith Mark Cox / David Lloyd	6 2	6 2	6 3
4	John McEnroe Buster Mottram	6 2	6 2	6 1
5	Brian Gottfried John Lloyd	6 1	6 2	6 4

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References

↑ Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 495–496, 499. ISBN 978-0942257700.
1 2 "United States v Great Britain". daviscup.com.
↑ "Canada heads pullout from 1978 Davis Cup". Montreal Gazette . Reuters. 4 July 1977. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
↑ "African Activist Archive". Africanactivist.msu.edu. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
↑ Jim Jerome (20 March 1978). "Apartheid Critics Say He's Merely a Token, but Peter Lamb's Davis Cup Runneth Over". People.com. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
↑ "The Crisis" . Retrieved 26 October 2019– via Google Books.
↑ "Chile v United States". daviscup.com.
↑ "Jaime Fillol vs Brian Gottfried". atptour.com.
↑ "Australia v New Zealand". daviscup.com.
↑ "Great Britain v Czechoslovakia". daviscup.com.
↑ "Sweden v Hungary". daviscup.com.
↑ "Sweden v United States". daviscup.com.
↑ "Great Britain v Australia". daviscup.com.

External links

Davis Cup Official Website

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Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
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[Collins-1] Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 495–496, 499. ISBN 978-0942257700.

[Final-2] 1 2 "United States v Great Britain". daviscup.com.

[3] "Canada heads pullout from 1978 Davis Cup". Montreal Gazette . Reuters. 4 July 1977. Retrieved 26 October 2019.

[4] "African Activist Archive". Africanactivist.msu.edu. Retrieved 26 October 2019.

[5] Jim Jerome (20 March 1978). "Apartheid Critics Say He's Merely a Token, but Peter Lamb's Davis Cup Runneth Over". People.com. Retrieved 26 October 2019.

[6] "The Crisis" . Retrieved 26 October 2019– via Google Books.

[7] "Chile v United States". daviscup.com.

[8] "Jaime Fillol vs Brian Gottfried". atptour.com.

[9] "Australia v New Zealand". daviscup.com.

[10] "Great Britain v Czechoslovakia". daviscup.com.

[11] "Sweden v Hungary". daviscup.com.

[12] "Sweden v United States". daviscup.com.

[13] "Great Britain v Australia". daviscup.com.

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List of champions Winning players

1978 Davis Cup

Contents

Political controversy

Americas Zone

North & Central America Zone

South America Zone

Preliminary rounds

Main Draw

Americas Inter-Zonal Final

Eastern Zone

Preliminary rounds

Main Draw

Final

Europe Zone

Zone A

Preliminary rounds

Main Draw

Final

Zone B

Pre-qualifying round

Preliminary rounds

Main Draw

Final

Inter-Zonal Zone

Draw

Semifinals

Final

Related Research Articles

References

External links