Australasia Davis Cup team

Last updated
Australasia
Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games.svg
ITF ranking N/A
First year1905
Years played13
Ties played (W–L)25 (18-7)
Davis Cup titles6 (1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1914, 1919)
Runners-up1 (1912)
Most total wins Norman Brookes (28-11)
Most singles winsNorman Brookes (18-7)
Most doubles winsNorman Brookes (10-4)
Best doubles teamNorman Brookes and Anthony Wilding (6-2)
Most ties playedNorman Brookes (14)
Most years playedNorman Brookes (9)

The Australasia men's national tennis team represented Australia and New Zealand in Davis Cup tennis competition, and was governed by the Australasian Lawn Tennis Association.

Contents

It competed from 1905 through 1922. Following 1922, the nations competed as:

History

In October 1904 the New Zealand Tennis Association contacted Australian officials with a proposal to enter a combined team at the 1905 Davis Cup. This proposal was accepted in January 1905 when New Zealand reluctantly agreed to form a joint Australasian Lawn Tennis Association. [1]

The 1911 Davis Cup was played at Lancaster Park, [2] where Australasia as the defending champion was challenged by the United States. Rain delayed the beginning of the games scheduled for 29 December 1911, and the 1911 Davis Cup event was held between 1 and 3 January 1912. Australian Norman Brookes beat Beals Wright in the opening match. Rodney Heath increased the lead for Australasia by beating William Larned. Australasia retained the Davis Cup through a win in the doubles, with Brookes and Alfred Dunlop being successful over Wright and Maurice McLoughlin. The fourth match was defaulted by Wright, and Larned stepped aside to give the younger McLoughlin the opportunity to play Brookes. After leading 2 sets to 1, Brookes came back and won the match, and gave Australasia a clean 5–0 victory. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Open</span> Annual tennis tournament

The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. The tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events held each year, preceding the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. The Australian Open starts in the middle of January and continues for two weeks coinciding with the Australia Day holiday. It features men's and women's singles; men's, women's, and mixed doubles; junior's championships; and wheelchair, legends, and exhibition events. Before 1988, it was played on grass courts, but since then three types of hardcourt surfaces have been used: green-coloured Rebound Ace up to 2007, blue Plexicushion from 2008 to 2019, and blue GreenSet since 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1911 in sports</span> Overview of the events of 1911 in sports

1911 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Wilding</span> New Zealand tennis player

Anthony Frederick Wilding, also known as Tony Wilding, was a New Zealand world No. 1 tennis player and soldier who was killed in action during World War I. Considered the world's first tennis superstar, Wilding was the son of wealthy English immigrants to Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand and enjoyed the use of private tennis courts at their home. He obtained a legal education at Trinity College, Cambridge and briefly joined his father's law firm. Wilding was a first-class cricketer and a keen motorcycle enthusiast. His tennis career started with him winning the Canterbury Championships aged 17. He developed into a leading tennis player in the world during 1909–1914 and is considered to be a former world No. 1. He won 11 Grand Slam tournament titles, six in singles and five in doubles, and is the first and to date only player from New Zealand to have won a Grand Slam singles title. In addition to Wimbledon, he also won three other ILTF World Championships : In singles, two World Hard Court Championships (WHCC) (1913–14) and one World Covered Court Championships (WCCC) (1913). With his eleven Grand Slam tournaments, two WHCC and one WCCC titles, he has a total of fourteen Major tournament titles. His sweep of the three ILTF World Championships in 1913 was accomplished on three different surfaces being the first time this has been achieved in Major tournaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lancaster Park</span> Park in Christchurch, New Zealand

Lancaster Park, previously known as Jade Stadium and AMI Stadium, was a sports stadium in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch in New Zealand. The stadium was closed permanently due to damage sustained in the February 2011 earthquake and subsequently demolished in 2019. It was reopened in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Brookes</span> Australian tennis player

Sir Norman Everard Brookes was an Australian tennis player. During his career he won three Grand Slam singles titles; Wimbledon in 1907 and 1914 and the Australasian Championships in 1911. Brookes was part of the Australasian Davis Cup team that won the title on five occasions. The Australian Open men's singles trophy, the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, is named in his honour. After his active playing career Brookes became president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Alexander</span> American tennis player

Frederick Beasley Alexander was an American tennis player in the early 20th century. He won the singles title at the 1908 Australasian Championships and six double titles at Grand Slam events.

William Larned American tennis player

William Augustus Larned was an American tennis player who was active at the beginning of the 20th century. He won seven singles titles at the U.S. National Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice McLoughlin</span> American tennis player

Maurice Evans McLoughlin was an American tennis player. Known for his powerful serve, overhead, and volley, McLoughlin was the first male tennis champion from the western United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australasia at the 1908 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Australasia was the name of a combined team from Australia and New Zealand that competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. It was the fourth appearance of Australia, which had not missed any edition of the Summer Olympic Games, and the first appearance of New Zealand. The two would compete together again as Australasia at the 1912 Summer Olympics before competing separately at every edition of the Summer Games since. In 1908 there were three New Zealanders, Harry Kerr, Henry Murray and Albert Rowland ; all other competitors were Australian. There were 30 competitors for Australasia who competed in 20 events in six sports. A further two competitors, who were to compete in tennis, did not play as their nominations failed to reach the organisers.

The 1905 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the fifth edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. As defending champions, the British Isles team played host to the competition. The World Group ties were played at Queen's Club in London, England from 13–19 July, and the final was played on 21–24 July. Britain retained the Cup for their third championship.

The 1907 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the seventh edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. As defending champions, the British Isles team played host to the competition. After several years of more varied competition, only Australasia and the United States would challenge for the cup. Australasia won both ties, and became the third nation to win the cup. The ties were played at Worple Road in Wimbledon, London, England from 13–24 July.

The 1908 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the eighth edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. For the first time, ties were held in different countries and at different times, rather than all the matches being played in the same venue, as before. It also marked the first time that a tie was played in Australia.

The 1909 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the ninth edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. For the second straight year, only the British Isles and the United States would challenge Australasia for the Cup. After defeating the British in Philadelphia, the US traveled to Sydney, but was defeated again by the Australasian team. The final was played at the Double Bay Grounds on 27–30 November.

The 1911 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the tenth edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup, named after the American tennis player Dwight F. Davis. After no country decided to challenge Australasia in 1910, only the British Isles and the United States would challenge for the Cup, for the third straight edition. Also for the third straight edition, the Americans would beat the British to earn the right to play for the Cup, and for the third straight edition, the Aussies would beat the Americans for the title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1912 International Lawn Tennis Challenge</span> 1912 edition of the International Lawn Tennis Challenge

The 1912 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 11th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. After a six-year hiatus, France rejoined the competition; however, the United States pulled out of the competition. In the final, the British Isles regained the Cup from Australasia. The final was played at the Albert Ground in Melbourne, Australia on 28–30 November.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1914 International Lawn Tennis Challenge</span> 1914 edition of the International Lawn Tennis Challenge

The 1914 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 13th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. The bulk of the competition returned to the United States for the first time since 1903. The United States fell to Australasia in the final, which was played at the West Side Tennis Club in New York on 13–15 August.

Stanley Doust Australian tennis player

Stanley Norwood Doust was an Australian-born tennis player who captained his nation's Davis Cup team and was winner of the Mixed Doubles Trophy at Wimbledon.

Tennis New Zealand

Tennis New Zealand is the governing body of tennis in New Zealand. Founded in 1886, it is one of the world's oldest tennis associations. It is affiliated to both International Tennis Federation and Oceania Tennis Federation. Tennis NZ has six geographically divided regional centres. Tennis NZ operates all of the New Zealand's national representative tennis sides, including the New Zealand Davis Cup team, the New Zealand Billie Jean King Cup team and youth sides as well. Tennis NZ is also responsible for organising and hosting tennis tournaments within New Zealand and scheduling the home international fixtures.

This is a list of the main career statistics of New Zealand former tennis player Anthony Wilding (1883–1915) whose amateur career spanned from the beginning of the 20th century until the outbreak of World War I. Wilding won six Grand Slam singles titles, including four Wimbledon Championships. In addition he won the World Hard Court Championships and World Covered Court Championships. As a member of the Australasia team he won the Davis Cup in 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1914.

References

  1. Richardson, Len; Richardson, Shelley (2005). Anthony Wilding, A Sporting Life. Canterbury: Canterbury University Press. pp. 98–99. ISBN   978-1877257018.
  2. "1912". Christchurch City Libraries . Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  3. Cole, Charles (31 December 2011). "Cup's Christchurch ties". The Press . pp. B10–11. Retrieved 31 December 2011.