1923 International Lawn Tennis Challenge

The 1923 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 18th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. For the first time, the competition would be split into two zones: the America Zone and the Europe Zone. This change was necessitated by having more than 16 teams compete for the cup (thus not fitting into one easily workable draw). The past several years had also seen a rise in the number of defaults, as teams from around the globe tried to work out the logistics of playing such an international tournament. Regional zones would help alleviate these problems.

The Europe Zone consisted of 13 teams (although Romania would default their first-round tie). The America Zone was made up of 4 teams, with only one of these teams, Canada, actually located in the Americas. (The United States, as defending champions, were automatically qualified for the final, Challenge Round). Oddly, Argentina would compete in the Europe Zone. The winners of the Zones met in an Inter-Zonal playoff, with the winner challenging the United States for the championship.

Australia would defeat France in the Inter-Zonal play-off, but would once again fall to the United States in the challenge round. The final was played at the West Side Tennis Club in New York City, United States on 31 August – 3 September.[1] [2]

America Zone

Draw

  1st Round
26–28 July		 Final
9–12 August
                 
  Orange, NJ, United States (grass)
    Australia 4  
    Hawaii 1     Chicago, IL, United States (grass)
      Australia 4
Montreal, Canada (grass)     Japan 1
    Canada 0
    Japan 5  

Final


Japan
1		 South Side Tennis Club, Chicago, Illinois, United States
9–12 August 1923
grass
Australia
4
1 2 3 4 5
1 Japan
Australia		 Zenzo Shimizu
James Anderson		 0
6 		3
6 		3
6 		     
2 Japan
Australia		 Masanosuke Fukada
John Hawkes		 3
6 		4
6 		3
6 		     
3 Japan
Australia		 Seiichiro Kashio / Zenzo Shimizu
James Anderson / John Hawkes		 1
6 		2
6 		2
6 		     
4 Japan
Australia		 Zenzo Shimizu
John Hawkes		 6
4		 3
6 		2
6 		6
1		 6
4		  
5 Japan
Australia		 Masanosuke Fukada
James Anderson		 1
6 		6
3		 2
6 		1
6 		   

Europe Zone

Draw

  First round
 Quarterfinals
 Semifinals
 Final
                                     
  Netherlands  
Noordwijk, Netherlands (clay)
 bye  
    Netherlands 5  
    Italy 0  
  Italy
Eastbourne, England (grass)
 bye  
    Netherlands 0  
Brussels, Belgium (clay)
    Spain 5  
  Great Britain 3  
Manchester, England (grass)
  Belgium 2  
    Great Britain 2
    Spain 3  
  Spain w/o
Deauville, France (clay)
  Romania  
    Spain 2
Bordeaux, France (clay)
    France 3
  France 4  
Dublin, Ireland (grass)
  Denmark 1  
    France 4
Dublin, Ireland (grass)
    Ireland 1  
  Ireland 3
Lyon, France (clay)
  India 2  
    France 3
Territet, Switzerland
     Switzerland 2  
   Switzerland 3  
Geneva, Switzerland
  Czechoslovakia 2  
     Switzerland 4
    Argentina 1  
 bye
  Argentina  

Final


France
3		 Sporting Club, Deauville, France
28 July - 1 August 1923
clay
Spain
2
1 2 3 4 5
1 France
Spain		 René Lacoste
Manuel de Gomar		 6
3		 6
4		 5
7 		6
4		    
2 France
Spain		 Jean-François Blanchy
Eduardo Flaquer		 6
1		 6
2		 3
6 		6
1		    
3 France
Spain		 Jacques Brugnon / René Lacoste
Eduardo Flaquer / Manuel de Gomar		 4
6 		6
8 		13
11		 6
1		 4
6 		 
4 France
Spain		 René Lacoste
Eduardo Flaquer		 6
1		 6
3		 6
2		      
5 France
Spain		 Jean-François Blanchy
Manuel de Gomar		 3
6 		6
2		 2
6 		2
6 		   

Inter-Zonal Zone


France
1		 Longwood Cricket Club, Boston, MA, United States
10–14 August 1923
grass
Australia
4
1 2 3 4 5
1 France
Australia		 André Gobert
Gerald Patterson		 6
4		 6
3		 3
6 		4
6 		3
6 		 
2 France
Australia		 Henri Cochet
Pat O'Hara-Wood		 6
4		 3
6 		6
0		 7
9 		6
3		  
3 France
Australia		 Henri Cochet / André Gobert
Pat O'Hara-Wood / Gerald Patterson		 0
6 		8
6		 6
4		 3
6 		8
10 		 
4 France
Australia		 Henri Cochet
Gerald Patterson		 2
6 		6
2		 4
6 		2
6 		   
5 France
Australia		 André Gobert
Pat O'Hara-Wood		 6
2		 2
6 		1
6 		4
6 		   

Challenge Round


United States
4		 West Side Tennis Club, New York, NY, United States
31 August - 3 September 1923
grass
Australia
1
1 2 3 4 5
1 United States
Australia		 Bill Tilden
John Hawkes		 6
4		 6
2		 6
1		      
2 United States
Australia		 Bill Johnston
James Anderson		 6
4		 2
6 		6
2		 5
7 		2
6 		 
3 United States
Australia		 Bill Tilden / Norris Williams
James Anderson / John Hawkes		 17
15		 11
13 		2
6 		6
3		 6
2		  
4 United States
Australia		 Bill Tilden
James Anderson		 6
2		 6
3		 1
6 		7
5		    
5 United States
Australia		 Bill Johnston
John Hawkes		 6
0		 6
2		 6
1		      

References

  1. ↑ "Davis Cup – 1923 Results". ITF. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  2. ↑ Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed. ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 495–506. ISBN 978-0942257700.

External links