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 was 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.

1923 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
Details
Duration15 May – 3 September 1923
Edition18th
Teams17
Champion
Winning nation United States
1922
1924

The Europe Zone consisted of 13 teams, while the America Zone was made up of 4 teams. Australia, Hawaii, Ireland and Switzerland competed for the first and only time. The winners of the Zones met in an Inter-Zonal play-off, with the winner challenging defending champions the United States for the championship.

Australia defeated France in the Inter-Zonal play-off, but again lost to the United States in the Challenge Round. The final was played at the West Side Tennis Club in New York City on 31 August – 3 September.[1][2]

America Zone

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Draw

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Semifinals
26–28 July
Final
9–12 August
Orange, NJ, United States (grass)
  Australia4
Chicago, IL, United States (grass)
  Hawaii1
  Australia4
Montreal, Canada (grass)
  Japan1
  Canada0
  Japan5

Final

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Australia vs. Japan

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

Europe Zone

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Draw

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First Round
15 May–4 June
Quarterfinals
1–23 June
Semifinals
9–15 July
Final
28 July–1 August
  Netherlands
Noordwijk, Netherlands (clay)
bye
  Netherlands5
  Italy0
  Italy
Eastbourne, England (grass)
bye
  Netherlands0
Brussels, Belgium (clay)
  Spain5
  Great Britain3
Manchester, England (grass)
  Belgium2
  Great Britain2
  Spain3
  Spainw/o
Deauville, France (clay)
  Romania
  Spain2
Bordeaux, France (clay)
  France3
  France4
Dublin, Ireland (grass)
  Denmark1
  France4
Dublin, Ireland (grass)
  Ireland1
  Ireland3
Lyon, France (clay)
  India2
  France3
Territet, Switzerland
   Switzerland2
   Switzerland3
Geneva, Switzerland
  Czechoslovakia2
   Switzerland4
  Argentina1
bye
  Argentina

Final

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France vs. Spain

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

Inter-Zonal Final

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Australia vs. France

 
Australia
4
Longwood Cricket Club, Boston, MA, United States[5]
16–18 August 1923
Grass
 
France
1
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
James Anderson
René Lacoste
7
5
6
3
6
4
     
2  
 
John Hawkes
Jacques Brugnon
6
2
6
1
7
5
     
3  
 
James Anderson / John Hawkes
Jacques Brugnon / René Lacoste
6
8
6
3
6
3
6
8
9
7
 
4  
 
James Anderson
Pierre Hirsch
7
5
6
2
6
0
     
5  
 
Ian McInnes
René Lacoste
2
6
1
6
2
6
     

Challenge Round

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United States vs. Australia

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

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 495–506. ISBN 978-0942257700.
  2. ^ a b "United States v Australia". daviscup.com.
  3. ^ "Australia v Japan". daviscup.com.
  4. ^ "France v Spain". daviscup.com.
  5. ^ "Australia v France". daviscup.com.
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