1981 Davis Cup

Last updated

1981 Davis Cup
Details
Duration6 March – 13 December 1981
Edition70th
Teams51
Champion
Winning nationFlag of the United States.svg  United States
1980
1982

The 1981 Davis Cup (also known as the 1981 Davis Cup by NEC for sponsorship purposes) was the 70th edition of the Davis Cup, the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 53 teams would enter the competition, 16 in the World Group, 23 in the Europe Zone, 8 in the Americas Zone, and 6 in the Eastern Zone.

Contents

The United States defeated Argentina in the final, held at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States on 11–13 December, to win their 27th title overall. [1] [2]

Format changes

The 1981 tournament marked the introduction of the 16-team World Group and a move to a tiered system including promotion and relegation. The original 16 teams to compete were chosen through the previous year's results, with teams that reached the Zonal semifinals chosen to compete in the inaugural bracket. Teams which lost in the World Group first round would now compete against each other in the World Group Relegation Play-off, with the four losers relegated to their respective Zonal competition the following year. The four winners of the Zonal competitions would now earn promotion into the following year's World Group to replace the relegated teams. [3] [4]

The 16 qualifying teams for the first World Group were: from the 1980 Americas Zone, the North & Central America Zone finalists the United States and Mexico, and the South America Zone finalists Argentina and Brazil; the 1980 Eastern Zone semifinalists Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea; and the semifinalists from the two Europe Zones Czechoslovakia, Great Britain, France, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and West Germany.

This year also marked the first year of commercial sponsorship, when Japanese electronics company NEC became the tournament's first Title Sponsor, a partnership that lasted 21 years in total. NEC's partnership also enabled prize money to be given for the first time, with the World Group team competing for a total of US$1 million. [3] [4] [5]

World Group

Participating teams
Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Australia
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg
Brazil
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
Czechoslovakia
Flag of France.svg
France
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Great Britain
Flag of Italy.svg
Italy
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg
Japan
Flag of Mexico.svg
Mexico
Flag of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand
Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg
Romania
Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg
South Korea
Flag of Sweden.svg
Sweden
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
Switzerland
Flag of the United States.svg
United States
Flag of Germany.svg
West Germany

Draw

First round
6–8 March
Quarterfinals
9–12 July
Semifinals
2–4 October
Final
11–13 December
Munich, West Germany (indoor carpet)
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 2
Timișoara, Romania (hard)
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 3
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 3
Timișoara, Romania (indoor hard)
Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg  Romania 2
Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg  Romania 3
Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay)
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil 2
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 5
Brighton, United Kingdom (indoor carpet)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 0
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3
Christchurch, New Zealand (carpet)
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 2
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 4
Seoul, South Korea (clay)
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 1
Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg  South Korea 0
Cincinnati, OH, United States (indoor carpet)
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 5
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 1
Yokohama, Japan (indoor carpet)
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 0
Båstad, Sweden (clay)
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 5
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1
Lyon, France (indoor carpet)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 3
Flag of France.svg  France 2
Portland, OR, United States (indoor carpet)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 3
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 0
Zürich, Switzerland (indoor hard)
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 5
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 2
New York City, United States (hard)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 3
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 1
Carlsbad, CA, United States (hard)
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 2

Final

United States vs. Argentina

Flag of the United States.svg
United States
3
Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, United States [2]
11–13 December 1981
Carpet (indoors)
Flag of Argentina.svg
Argentina
1
12345
1 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
John McEnroe
Guillermo Vilas
6
3
6
2
6
2
   
2 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
Roscoe Tanner
José Luis Clerc
5
7
3
6
6
8
   
3 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
Peter Fleming  /  John McEnroe
José Luis Clerc  /  Guillermo Vilas
6
3
4
6
6
4
4
6
11
9
 
4 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
John McEnroe
José Luis Clerc
7
5
5
7
6
3
3
6
6
3
 
5 Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of Argentina.svg
Roscoe Tanner
Guillermo Vilas
11
10
    not
completed

Relegation play-offs

Date: 2–4 October

Home teamScoreVisiting teamLocationSurface
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil 2–3 Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany São Paulo Clay
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 4–1 Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg  South Korea Sanremo Clay
Flag of France.svg  France 4–1 Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan Paris Clay
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 3–2 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Tijuana Clay

Americas Zone

Sub-Zonal Semifinals
9–11 January
Sub-Zonal Finals
13–15 February
Inter-Zonal Final
6–8 March
Bogotá, Colombia (clay)
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 3
Bogotá, Colombia (clay)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 5
Caracas, Venezuela (hard)
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg  Venezuela 0
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg  Venezuela 4
Bogotá, Colombia (indoor clay)
Flag of the West Indies Federation (1958-1962).svg  Caribbean/West Indies 1
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 2
Lima, Peru (clay)
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 3
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 1
Santiago, Chile (clay)
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 4
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 5
Guayaquil, Ecuador (clay)
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 0
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg  Ecuador 2
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 3

Eastern Zone

Quarterfinals
9–11 January
Semifinals
13–15 February
Final
6–8 March
Flag of India.svg  India
Bangkok, Thailand (hard)
bye
Flag of India.svg  India 5
Bangkok, Thailand (hard)
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 0
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 0
Jakarta, Indonesia (clay)
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 5
Flag of India.svg  India 3
Taipei, Taiwan (indoor hard)
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 2
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 4
Jakarta, Indonesia (clay)
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 1
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 3
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 0
bye
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan

Europe Zone

Zone A

First round
8–10 May
Quarterfinals
10–14 June
Semifinals
9–11 July
Final
25–27 September
Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg  Spain
Algiers, Algeria (clay)
bye
Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg  Spain 5
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 0
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe
Lleida, Spain (clay)
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria w/o
Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg  Spain 5
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco 0
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
Monte Carlo, Monaco (clay)
bye
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 2
Monte Carlo, Monaco (clay)
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco 3
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 1
Avilés, Spain (clay)
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco 3
Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg  Spain 3
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 2
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
Cairo, Egypt (clay)
bye
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 4
Cairo, Egypt (clay)
Flag of Egypt (1972-1984).svg  Egypt 1
Flag of Egypt (1972-1984).svg  Egypt 5
Ramat HaSharon, Israel (hard)
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 0
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 3
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 2
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
Skopje, Yugoslavia (clay)
bye
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 1
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 4
bye
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel

Zone B

First round
8–10 May
Quarterfinals
12–14 June
Semifinals
9–11 July
Final
25–27 September
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria
Salzburg, Austria (clay)
bye
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 3
Aarhus, Denmark (clay)
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 5
Pörtschach, Austria (clay)
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 0
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 0
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 4
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Jūrmala, Soviet Union (clay)
bye
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 4
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium w/o
Jūrmala, Soviet Union (clay)
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 5
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 0
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Helsinki, Finland (clay)
bye
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 3
Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg (clay)
Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria 2
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 0
Helsinki, Finland (clay)
Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria 5
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 0
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 5
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
Eindhoven, Netherlands (clay)
bye
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 4
Oslo, Norway (clay)
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 1
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 3

References

General
Specific
  1. Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 495–496, 499. ISBN   978-0942257700.
  2. 1 2 "United States v Argentina". daviscup.com.
  3. 1 2 "ITF Events - Davis Cup". itftennis.com. International Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Davis Cup History". daviscup.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  5. Collett, Mike (March 2, 1981). "The new-look 1981 Davis Cup tennis competition gets under..." London. United Press International . Retrieved November 12, 2019.