1978 Davis Cup Americas Zone

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The Americas Zone was one of the three regional zones of the 1978 Davis Cup.

Contents

10 teams entered the Americas Zone in total, with 3 teams entering the North & Central America Zone and 8 teams entering the South America Zone. The winner of each sub-zone advanced to the Americas Inter-Zonal Final, with the winner going on to compete in the Inter-Zonal Zone against the winners of the Eastern Zone and Europe Zone. [1]

The United States defeated South Africa in the North & Central America Zone final, and Chile defeated Argentina in the South America Zone final. [2] [3] In the Americas Inter-Zonal Final the United States defeated Chile and progressed to the Inter-Zonal Zone. [4]

The North & Central America Zone was marked by a number of incidents related to the continued presence of South Africa team. Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, and the Caribbean/West Indies teams all withdrew from the competition, and large scale protests accompanied the final between the United States and South Africa at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. [5] [6] In an effort to appease its critics, South Africa named Peter Lamb as one of the six members of its team, as its first-ever "coloured" player. [7] However, Lamb did not play, and his inclusion in the squad was derided as tokenism. Crowds of up to 5000 turned out in protest. [8]

North & Central America Zone

Draw

Semifinals
15–17 December 1977
Final
17–19 March
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Nashville, TN, United States (indoor carpet)
bye
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4
Johannesburg, South Africa
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 1
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 4
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 1

Semifinals

South Africa vs. Colombia

Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
South Africa
4
Johannesburg, South Africa [9]
15–17 December 1977
Flag of Colombia.svg
Colombia
1
12345
1 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Flag of Colombia.svg
Byron Bertram
Jairo Velasco
0
6
3
6
6
4
12
10
6
1
 
2 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Flag of Colombia.svg
Ray Moore
Iván Molina
5
7
2
6
6
4
2
6
  
3 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Flag of Colombia.svg
Bob Hewitt  /  Frew McMillan
Álvaro Betancur  /  Iván Molina
6
0
8
6
6
2
   
4 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Flag of Colombia.svg
Byron Bertram
Iván Molina
3
6
6
3
6
4
6
4
  
5 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Flag of Colombia.svg
Ray Moore
Álvaro Betancur
6
3
6
3
6
2
   

Final

United States vs. South Africa

Flag of the United States.svg
United States
4
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States [2]
17–19 March 1978
Carpet (indoors)
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
South Africa
1
12345
1 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Vitas Gerulaitis
Bernard Mitton
2
6
6
2
6
1
7
5
  
2 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Harold Solomon
Byron Bertram
4
6
6
0
6
3
6
1
  
3 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Fred McNair  /  Sherwood Stewart
Bob Hewitt  /  Frew McMillan
0
6
3
6
4
6
   
4 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Harold Solomon
Bernard Mitton
7
5
6
4
6
2
   
5 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg
Vitas Gerulaitis
Byron Bertram
6
3
6
3
6
0
   

South America Zone

Preliminary rounds

Draw

First Round
1–6 November 1977
Qualifying Round
9–11 December 1977
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile
Santiago, Chile
bye
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 5
Lima, Peru
Flag of Bolivia.svg  Bolivia 0
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 0
Flag of Bolivia.svg  Bolivia 5
Montevideo, Uruguay (clay)
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 3
Montevideo, Uruguay
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg  Ecuador 2
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 4
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil 1
bye
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil

First round

Peru vs. Bolivia

Flag of Peru.svg
Peru
0
Lima, Peru [10]
4–6 November 1977
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Bolivia
5
12345
1 Flag of Peru.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Fernando Maynetto
Mario Martínez
3
6
3
6
6
4
5
7
  
2 Flag of Peru.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Miguel Maurtúa
Ramiro Benavides
2
6
4
6
6
4
5
7
  
3 Flag of Peru.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Miguel Maurtúa  /  Fernando Maynetto
Juan Carlos Alvarado  /  Ramiro Benavides
6
3
6
8
2
6
7
5
3
6
 
4 Flag of Peru.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Miguel Maurtúa
Mario Martínez
4
6
6
4
4
6
8
10
  
5 Flag of Peru.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Luis Alberto Olmedo
Juan Carlos Alvarado
0
6
1
6
3
6
   

Uruguay vs. Ecuador

Flag of Uruguay.svg
Uruguay
3
Montevideo, Uruguay [11]
November 1977
Clay
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg
Ecuador
2
12345
1 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg
Hugo Roverano
Ricardo Pazmiño
6
2
6
2
6
1
   
2 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg
José Luis Damiani
Ricardo Ycaza
4
6
5
7
1
6
   
3 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg
José Luis Damiani  /  Hugo Roverano
Miguel Olvera  /  Ricardo Ycaza
6
3
6
2
6
2
   
4 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg
José Luis Damiani
Ricardo Pazmiño
6
1
6
0
6
2
   
5 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg
Hugo Roverano
Ricardo Ycaza
5
7
2
6
4
6
   

Qualifying round

Chile vs. Bolivia

Flag of Chile.svg
Chile
5
Santiago, Chile [12]
9–11 December 1977
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Bolivia
0
12345
1 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Belus Prajoux
Mario Martínez
6
4
6
1
6
3
   
2 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Hans Gildemeister
Ramiro Benavides
6
2
6
2
6
1
   
3 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Patricio Cornejo  /  Jaime Fillol
Juan Carlos Alvarado  /  Ramiro Benavides
3
6
6
2
6
0
8
6
  
4 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Hans Gildemeister
Mario Martínez
6
3
6
1
6
3
   
5 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Bolivia.svg
Belus Prajoux
Ramiro Benavides
6
1
6
1
6
1
   

Uruguay vs. Brazil

Flag of Uruguay.svg
Uruguay
4
Montevideo, Uruguay [13]
9–11 December 1977
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg
Brazil
1
12345
1 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg
José Luis Damiani
Thomaz Koch
7
5
6
4
6
0
   
2 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg
Hugo Roverano
Carlos Kirmayr
0
6
6
2
6
3
4
6
7
5
 
3 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg
José Luis Damiani  /  Hugo Roverano
Carlos Kirmayr  /  Thomaz Koch
9
7
6
3
6
2
   
4 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg
José Luis Damiani
Marcos Hocevar
6
3
6
4
6
4
   
5 Flag of Uruguay.svg
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg
Hugo Roverano
Fernando Gentil
1
6
3
6
7
5
5
7
  

Main draw

Draw

Semifinals
18–20 December 1977
Final
17–19 March
Santiago, Chile
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 5
Santiago, Chile (clay)
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 0
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 3
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 2
bye
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina

Semifinals

Chile vs. Uruguay

Flag of Chile.svg
Chile
5
Santiago, Chile [14]
18–20 December 1977
Flag of Uruguay.svg
Uruguay
0
12345
1 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Uruguay.svg
Jaime Fillol
Hugo Roverano
9
7
6
3
6
0
   
2 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Uruguay.svg
Hans Gildemeister
José Luis Damiani
6
2
6
2
6
2
   
3 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Uruguay.svg
Patricio Cornejo  /  Belus Prajoux
José Luis Damiani  /  Hugo Roverano
6
4
6
4
6
2
   
4 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Uruguay.svg
Jaime Fillol
José Luis Damiani
8
6
6
0
6
2
   
5 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Uruguay.svg
Hans Gildemeister
Hugo Roverano
6
1
6
4
6
2
   

Final

Chile vs. Argentina

Flag of Chile.svg
Chile
3
Santiago, Chile [3]
17–19 March 1978
Clay
Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
2
12345
1 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
Hans Gildemeister
Guillermo Vilas
9
7
6
3
3
6
6
4
  
2 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
Jaime Fillol
Ricardo Cano
6
2
6
3
6
3
   
3 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
Patricio Cornejo  /  Jaime Fillol
José Luis Clerc  /  Guillermo Vilas
4
6
3
6
3
6
   
4 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
Hans Gildemeister
Ricardo Cano
6
4
7
5
6
4
   
5 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
Jaime Fillol
Guillermo Vilas
3
6
4
6
0
6
   

Americas Inter-Zonal Final

Chile vs. United States

Flag of Chile.svg
Chile
2
Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile [4]
15–17 September 1978
Clay [15]
Flag of the United States.svg
United States
3
12345
1 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of the United States.svg
Jaime Fillol
Brian Gottfried
4
6
5
7
2
6
   
2 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of the United States.svg
Hans Gildemeister
Harold Solomon
5
7
6
3
3
6
1
6
  
3 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of the United States.svg
Jaime Fillol  /  Belus Prajoux
Brian Gottfried  /  John McEnroe
6
3
3
6
6
8
3
6
  
4 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of the United States.svg
Jaime Fillol
Harold Solomon
6
3
6
2
    
5 Flag of Chile.svg
Flag of the United States.svg
Hans Gildemeister
Brian Gottfried
4
6
7
5
12
10
   

References

  1. Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 495–506. ISBN   978-0942257700.
  2. 1 2 "United States v South Africa". daviscup.com.
  3. 1 2 "Chile v Argentina". daviscup.com.
  4. 1 2 "Chile v United States". daviscup.com.
  5. "Canada heads pullout from 1978 Davis Cup". Montreal Gazette . Reuters. 4 July 1977. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  6. "African Activist Archive". Africanactivist.msu.edu. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  7. Jerome, Jim. "Apartheid Critics Say He's Merely a Token, but Peter Lamb's Davis Cup Runneth Over". People.com. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  8. "African Activist Archive". Africanactivist.msu.edu. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  9. "South Africa v Colombia". daviscup.com.
  10. "Peru v Bolivia". daviscup.com.
  11. "Uruguay v Ecuador". daviscup.com.
  12. "Chile v Bolivia". daviscup.com.
  13. "Uruguay v Brazil". daviscup.com.
  14. "Chile v Uruguay". daviscup.com.
  15. "Jaime Fillol vs Brian Gottfried". atptour.com.