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1977 Davis Cup

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1977 Davis Cup
Details
Duration25 August 1976 – 4 December 1977
Edition66th
Teams55
Champion
Winning nation Australia
← 1976
1978 →

The 1977 Davis Cup was the 66th edition of the Davis Cup, the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 59 teams would enter the competition, 33 in the Europe Zone, 14 in the Americas Zone, and 12 in the Eastern Zone. Algeria made its first appearance in the tournament.

Argentina defeated the United States in the Americas Zone final, Australia defeated New Zealand in the Eastern Zone final, and France and Italy were the winners of the two Europe Zones, defeating Romania and Spain respectively.

In the Inter-Zonal Zone, Australia defeated Argentina and Italy defeated France in the semifinals. Australia then defeated the defending champions Italy in the final to win their 24th title overall and their first since 1973. The final was held at the White City Stadium in Sydney, Australia on 2–4 December.[1][2]

Politics in the Davis Cup

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Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the Davis Cup had been affected by a number of protests and defaults by teams showing their opposition to the apartheid policies and white minority rule in South Africa and Rhodesia, and the human rights violations which occurred in Chile under Augusto Pinochet's military junta.

Several high-profile incidents included Mexico's refusal to play South Africa in the 1975 and 1976 Americas Zones, widespread protests in Sweden against the Pinochet junta during the 1975 Inter-Zonal semifinal between Sweden and Chile, and South Africa being awarded the Cup by default in 1974 after India refused to travel to South Africa for the final.[3][4][5]

This show of political will in a sporting context was not welcomed by some, and for a brief time the United States, the inaugural winner of the cup, announced their decision to withdraw from the competition due to the apparent lenience of the tournament's organisers to prevent defaults by teams. In a show of solidarity, Great Britain and France also announced their intention to withdraw.[6]

In response to these withdrawals, the Davis Cup committee made a greater commitment to keep politics out of the competition. The committee subsequently disqualified the Soviet Union as punishment for refusing to play Chile in the 1976 Inter-Zonal semifinals - the Soviets had already been barred from competing in the Federation Cup for refusing to play against South Africa and Rhodesia - from the tournament. The Soviet Union would have their entry rejected in 1978 after informing officials they would refuse to compete against South Africa.

Proposals were also brought forward to bring in an automatic one-year ban for any nation which pulled out of the tournament after the draw had been made, in an effort to prevent teams from defaulting on political grounds: [7] The United States, Great Britain and France all returned and competed in the 1977 tournament.

Americas Zone

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Main article: 1977 Davis Cup Americas Zone

Preliminary rounds

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Main Draw

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Quarterfinals
17–19 December 1976		Semifinals
18–20 March; 15–17 April		Final
28 April–1 May
 Chile
Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay)
bye
 Chile1
São Paulo, Brazil (clay)
 Argentina4
 Brazil2
Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay)
 Argentina3
 Argentina3
Tucson, AZ, United States (hard)
 United States2
 United States4
Newport Beach, CA, United States (hard)
 Mexico1
 United States4
 South Africa1
bye
 South Africa

Final

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Argentina vs. United States


Argentina
3 		Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina[8]
28 April–1 May 1977
Clay
United States
2
1 2 3 4 5
1 Argentina
United States 		Ricardo Cano
Dick Stockton 		3
6 		6
4 		8
6 		6
4 		   
2 Argentina
United States 		Guillermo Vilas
Brian Gottfried 		6
4 		6
0 		6
2 		     
3 Argentina
United States 		Lito Álvarez / Ricardo Cano
Fred McNair / Sherwood Stewart 		3
6 		3
6 		3
6 		     
4 Argentina
United States 		Guillermo Vilas
Dick Stockton 		5
7 		6
2 		6
2 		6
2 		   
5 Argentina
United States 		Ricardo Cano
Brian Gottfried 		5
7 		5
7 		0
6 		     

Eastern Zone

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Main article: 1977 Davis Cup Eastern Zone

Preliminary rounds

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Main Draw

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Quarterfinals
2–12 December 1976		Semifinals
21–23 January		Final
11–13 February
 New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand (grass)
bye
 New Zealand5
Jakarta, Indonesia
 Indonesia0
 Indonesia5
Auckland, New Zealand (grass)
 Thailand0
 New Zealand0
New Delhi, India
 Australia4
 Japan2
Perth, Australia (grass)
 India3
 India0
 Australia5
bye
 Australia

Final

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New Zealand vs. Australia


New Zealand
0 		Stanley Street, Auckland, New Zealand[9]
11–13 February 1977
Grass
Australia
4
1 2 3 4 5
1 New Zealand
Australia 		Onny Parun
Mark Edmondson 		3
6 		5
7 		7
5 		4
6 		   
2 New Zealand
Australia 		Brian Fairlie
John Alexander 		3
6 		2
6 		3
6 		     
3 New Zealand
Australia 		Brian Fairlie / Onny Parun
John Alexander / Phil Dent 		1
6 		6
3 		6
4 		1
6 		4
6 		 
4 New Zealand
Australia 		Onny Parun
John Alexander 		11
9 		6
4 		4
6 		3
6 		4
6 		 
5 New Zealand
Australia 		Chris Lewis
Mark Edmondson 		4
6 		6
4 		4
6 		    not
completed

Europe Zone

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Main article: 1977 Davis Cup Europe Zone

Zone A

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Pre-qualifying rounds

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First RoundQualifying Round
 Iran
Algiers, Algeria (clay)
bye
 Iran4
 Algeria1
 Algeriaw/o
 Morocco

Preliminary rounds

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Main Draw

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Quarterfinals
6–8 May		Semifinals
9–11 June		Final
23–25 July
 Soviet Union
bye
 Soviet Union
Warsaw, Poland
 Francew/o
 Poland0
Paris, France (clay)
 France5
 France3
Bucharest, Romania (clay)
 Romania2
 Romania3
Bucharest, Romania (clay)
 Czechoslovakia1
 Romania4
 Great Britain1
bye
 Great Britain

Final

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France vs. Romania


France
3 		Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France[10]
23–25 July 1977
Clay
Romania
2
1 2 3 4 5
1 France
Romania 		François Jauffret
Ilie Năstase 		3
6 		0
6 		6
4 		6
3 		6
1 		 
2 France
Romania 		Patrick Proisy
Dumitru Hărădău 		6
2 		6
4 		8
6 		     
3 France
Romania 		Patrice Dominguez / François Jauffret
Ilie Năstase / Ion Țiriac 		3
6 		4
6 		6
3 		5
7 		   
4 France
Romania 		François Jauffret
Dumitru Hărădău 		6
1 		6
4 		6
4 		     
5 France
Romania 		Patrick Proisy
Ilie Năstase 		4
6 		6
4 		6
8 		1
6 		   

Zone B

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Pre-qualifying rounds

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First RoundQualifying Round
 Israel
Tel Aviv, Israel (hard)
bye
 Israel5
 Turkey0
 Kenya
 Turkeyw/o
 Luxembourg
Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg
bye
 Luxembourg0
 Finland5
bye
 Finland

Preliminary rounds

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Main Draw

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Quarterfinals
6–8 May		Semifinals
15–25 July		Final
29 July–1 August
 Hungary
Budapest, Hungary (clay)
bye
 Hungary2
Belgrade, Yugoslavia (clay)
 Spain3
 Yugoslavia1
Barcelona, Spain (clay)
 Spain4
 Spain2
Stockholm, Sweden (indoor carpet)
 Italy3
 Sweden5
Båstad, Sweden (clay)
 Austria0
 Sweden1
 Italy4
bye
 Italy

Final

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Spain vs. Italy


Spain
2 		Barcelona, Spain[11]
29 July–1 August 1977
Clay[12]
Italy
3
1 2 3 4 5
1 Spain
Italy 		José Higueras
Corrado Barazzutti 		6
4 		6
4 		6
3 		     
2 Spain
Italy 		Manuel Orantes
Adriano Panatta 		4
6 		6
3 		3
6 		1
6 		   
3 Spain
Italy 		José Higueras / Antonio Muñoz
Paolo Bertolucci / Adriano Panatta 		4
6 		5
7 		4
6 		     
4 Spain
Italy 		Manuel Orantes
Corrado Barazzutti 		5
7 		5
7 		1
6 		     
5 Spain
Italy 		Javier Soler
Adriano Panatta 		6
1 		6
0 		       

Inter-Zonal Zone

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Draw

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Semifinals
14–16 September		Final
2–4 December
Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay)
AME Argentina2
Sydney, Australia (grass)
EAS Australia3
EAS Australia3
Rome, Italy (clay)
EUR-A Italy1
EUR-B Italy4
EUR-A France1

Semifinals

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Argentina vs. Australia


Argentina
2 		Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina[13]
14–16 September 1977
Clay
Australia
3
1 2 3 4 5
1 Argentina
Australia 		Guillermo Vilas
Phil Dent 		6
2 		4
6 		7
5 		6
3 		   
2 Argentina
Australia 		Ricardo Cano
John Alexander 		4
6 		0
6 		0
6 		     
3 Argentina
Australia 		Ricardo Cano / Guillermo Vilas
John Newcombe / Phil Dent 		2
6 		6
4 		7
9 		6
4 		2
6 		 
4 Argentina
Australia 		Ricardo Cano
Phil Dent 		4
6 		4
6 		3
6 		     
5 Argentina
Australia 		Guillermo Vilas
John Alexander 		6
4 		7
5 		4
6 		6
2 		   

Italy vs. France


Italy
4 		Foro Italico, Rome, Italy[14]
14–16 September 1977
Clay
France
1
1 2 3 4 5
1 Italy
France 		Adriano Panatta
Patrice Dominguez 		6
4 		4
6 		6
4 		3
6 		6
3 		 
2 Italy
France 		Corrado Barazzutti
François Jauffret 		6
4 		2
6 		2
6 		6
2 		6
1 		 
3 Italy
France 		Paolo Bertolucci / Adriano Panatta
Patrice Dominguez / François Jauffret 		6
1 		3
6 		9
7 		6
1 		   
4 Italy
France 		Adriano Panatta
François Jauffret 		6
2 		6
1 		       
5 Italy
France 		Corrado Barazzutti
Patrice Dominguez 		2
6 		6
0 		6
8 		     

Final

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Australia vs. Italy


Australia
3 		White City Stadium, Sydney, Australia[2]
2–4 December 1977
Grass
Italy
1
1 2 3 4 5
1 Australia
Italy 		Tony Roche
Adriano Panatta 		6
3 		6
4 		6
4 		     
2 Australia
Italy 		John Alexander
Corrado Barazzutti 		6
2 		8
6 		4
6 		6
2 		   
3 Australia
Italy 		John Alexander / Phil Dent
Paolo Bertolucci / Adriano Panatta 		4
6 		4
6 		5
7 		     
4 Australia
Italy 		John Alexander
Adriano Panatta 		6
4 		4
6 		2
6 		8
6 		11
9 		 
5 Australia
Italy 		Tony Roche
Corrado Barazzutti 		12
12 		        not
completed

References

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  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. ^ a b "Australia v Italy". daviscup.com.
  3. ^ "Mexicans Shun Davis Cup Foe". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. 8 March 1975. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  4. ^ Anno 75 (1976), Årskalender utgiven av Förlagshuset Norden AB, Malmö, och Svenska Dagbladet, Stockholm, pp. 35, 36.
  5. ^ Seminara, Dave (2009-11-28). "The Year the Davis Cup Felt Empty". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  6. ^ "U.S. Pulls Out of Davis Cup In Protest". Star-News. United Press International. 2 July 1976. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Soviets Barred from Davis Cup". The Daily Sentinel. United Press International. 8 November 1976. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Argentina v United States". daviscup.com.
  9. ^ "Argentina v Australia". daviscup.com.
  10. ^ "France v Romania". daviscup.com.
  11. ^ "Spain v Italy". daviscup.com.
  12. ^ "Manuel Orantes vs Adriano Panatta". atptour.com.
  13. ^ "Argentina v Australia". daviscup.com.
  14. ^ "Italy v France". daviscup.com.
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