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.

1923 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
Details
Duration15 May – 3 September
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. Hawaii 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 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
Further information: 1923 International Lawn Tennis Challenge America Zone

Draw
  Semifinals
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

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
Further information: 1923 International Lawn Tennis Challenge Europe Zone

Draw
  First Round
15 May–4 June		 Quarterfinals
1–23 June		 Semifinals
9–15 July		 Final
28 July–1 August
                                     
  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 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

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

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		    

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. "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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