The 1968 Davis Cup was the 57th edition of the Davis Cup, the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 32 teams entered the Europe Zone, 9 teams entered the Americas Zone, and 8 teams entered the Eastern Zone. Peru made its first appearance in the tournament, having previously entered on 3 occasions before subsequently withdrawing before competing in a tie.

1968 Davis Cup
Details
Duration20 March – 28 December 1968
Edition57th
Teams49
Champion
Winning nation United States
1967
1969

The United States defeated Ecuador in the Americas Inter-Zonal final, India defeated Japan in the Eastern Inter-Zonal final, and Spain and West Germany were the winners of the two Europe Zones, defeating Italy and South Africa respectively.

In the Inter-Zonal Zone, the United States defeated Spain and India defeated West Germany in the semifinals, and then the United States defeated India in the final. The United States then defeated the defending champions Australia in the Challenge Round, ending Australia's four-year title run. The final was played at Memorial Drive Park in Adelaide, Australia on 26–28 December.[1][2][3]

Incidents

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In what became known as the Båstad riots, the Europe Zone first-round tie between Sweden and Rhodesia, planned to be held in Båstad, Sweden, caused widespread disruption as demonstrators protested the participation of both Rhodesia and South Africa in the tournament. Both countries had been banned from competing in other sports competitions due to their apartheid and white minority rule policies.

Following discussions between the Swedish government and demonstrators, the International Tennis Federation and Swedish Tennis Federation decided to move the tie to a neutral location in Bandol, France.[4][5]

Americas Zone

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North & Central America Zone

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Semifinals
3–13 May
Final
24–26 May
Richmond, VA, United States (hard)
  United States5
Berkeley, CA, United States (hard)
  Caribbean/West Indies0
  United States5
Mexico City, Mexico (clay)
  Mexico0
  Canada0
  Mexico5

South America Zone

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Quarterfinals
27–29 April
Semifinals
29–31 March; 11–13 May
Final
24–27 May
Caracas, Venezuela
  Venezuela3
Caracas, Venezuela (hard)
  Argentina2
  Venezuela0
  Ecuador3
  Ecuador
Guayaquil, Ecuador (clay)
bye
  Ecuador3
  Chile1
bye
Lima, Peru
  Peru
  Peru0
  Chile5
bye
  Chile

Americas Inter-Zonal Final

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United States vs. Ecuador

 
United States
5
Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC, United States[6]
7–9 June 1968
Carpet (indoor)
 
Ecuador
0
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
Arthur Ashe
Pancho Guzmán
6
3
6
3
6
2
     
2  
 
Clark Graebner
Miguel Olvera
6
2
6
1
6
2
     
3  
 
Clark Graebner / Bob Lutz
Pancho Guzmán / Miguel Olvera
6
3
6
2
7
5
     
4  
 
Clark Graebner
Pancho Guzmán
4
6
6
3
6
4
6
4
   
5  
 
Arthur Ashe
Miguel Olvera
6
1
6
3
6
0
     

Eastern Zone

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Zone A

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QuarterfinalsSemifinals
23–25 March; 26–28 April
Final
10–12 May
  Indonesiaw/o
Manila, Philippines
  South Vietnam
  Indonesia1
  Philippines4
  Philippines
Tokyo, Japan
bye
  Philippines1
  Japan4
bye
Tokyo, Japan
  South Korea
  South Korea0
  Japan5
bye
  Japan

Zone B

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Semifinals
20–22 March
Final
26–28 April
Colombo, Ceylon (clay)
  Malaysia1
Guwahati, India
  Ceylon4
  Ceylon2
  India3
bye
  India

Eastern Inter-Zonal Final

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Japan vs. India

 
Japan
1
Tokyo, Japan[7]
21–23 September 1968
 
India
4
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
Keishiro Yanagi
Premjit Lall
2
6
4
6
3
6
     
2  
 
Koji Watanabe
Ramanathan Krishnan
2
6
6
3
3
6
2
6
   
3  
 
Isao Watanabe / Koji Watanabe
Ramanathan Krishnan / Jaidip Mukerjea
2
6
2
6
7
5
6
1
0
6
 
4  
 
Keishiro Yanagi
Ramanathan Krishnan
4
6
3
6
1
6
     
5  
 
Koji Watanabe
Premjit Lall
8
6
6
1
6
2
     

Europe Zone

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Zone A

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First Round
26 April–7 May
Quarterfinals
23–26 May
Semifinals
13–16 June
Final
19–21 July
Valencia, Spain (clay)
  Spain3
Barcelona, Spain (clay)
  Netherlands2
  Spain4
Bandol, France (hard)
  Sweden1
  Sweden4
Barcelona, Spain (clay)
  Rhodesia1
  Spain4
Bournemouth, England (clay)
  Great Britain1
  Great Britain3
London, England (grass)
  France0
  Great Britain5
Helsinki, Finland (clay)
  Finland0
  Finland4
Barcelona, Spain (clay)
  Portugal1
  Spain3
Tbilisi, Soviet Union
  Italy2
  Soviet Union4
Moscow, Soviet Union
  Greece1
  Soviet Union5
Zagreb, Yugoslavia
  Yugoslavia0
  Yugoslavia4
Reggio Emilia, Italy (clay)
  New Zealand0
  Soviet Union2
Cagliari, Italy (clay)
  Italy3
  Italy5
Biella, Italy (clay)
  Hungary0
  Italy5
Monte Carlo, Monaco
  Monaco0
  Monaco3
  Ireland1

Zone A Final

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Spain vs. Italy

 
Spain
3
Real Club de Tenis, Barcelona, Spain[8]
19–21 July 1968
Clay
 
Italy
2
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
Juan Gisbert
Martin Mulligan
6
4
2
6
6
2
6
4
   
2  
 
Manuel Santana
Nicola Pietrangeli
6
3
3
6
4
6
6
4
6
2
 
3  
 
José Luis Arilla / Manuel Orantes
Martin Mulligan / Nicola Pietrangeli
5
7
2
6
6
3
3
6
   
4  
 
Juan Gisbert
Nicola Pietrangeli
8
6
6
4
6
2
     
5  
 
Manuel Orantes
Martin Mulligan
6
4
6
4
5
7
3
6
4
4
 

Zone B

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Zone B Final

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West Germany vs. South Africa

 
West Germany
3
Düsseldorf, West Germany[9]
19–21 July 1968
 
South Africa
2
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
Wilhelm Bungert
Bob Hewitt
9
7
7
5
7
5
     
2  
 
Ingo Buding
Ray Moore
6
3
4
6
10
8
6
8
6
4
 
3  
 
Ingo Buding / Jürgen Fassbender
Bob Hewitt / Frew McMillan
4
6
2
6
4
6
     
4  
 
Wilhelm Bungert
Ray Moore
6
1
6
1
6
1
     
5  
 
Ingo Buding
Bob Hewitt
5
7
2
6
6
2
3
6
   

Inter-Zonal Zone

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Draw

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Semifinals
14–16 August; 4–6 October
Final
9–11 November
Munich, West Germany
EUR-B  West Germany2
San Juan, PR (hard)
EAS  India3
EAS  India1
Cleveland, OH, United States (hard)
AME  United States4
AME  United States4
EUR-A  Spain1

Semifinals

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West Germany vs. India

 
West Germany
2
Munich, West Germany[10]
4–6 October 1968
 
India
3
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
Ingo Buding
Premjit Lall
6
2
2
6
3
6
4
6
   
2  
 
Wilhelm Bungert
Ramanathan Krishnan
4
6
6
0
8
6
7
5
   
3  
 
Wilhelm Bungert / Jürgen Fassbender
Ramanathan Krishnan / Jaidip Mukerjea
2
6
2
6
3
6
     
4  
 
Ingo Buding
Ramanathan Krishnan
2
6
5
7
2
6
     
5  
 
Wilhelm Bungert
Premjit Lall
6
1
4
6
6
4
6
3
   

United States vs. Spain

 
United States
4
Harold Clark Courts, Cleveland, OH, United States[11]
16–19 August 1968
Hard
 
Spain
1
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
Clark Graebner
Manuel Santana
2
6
3
6
3
6
     
2  
 
Arthur Ashe
Juan Gisbert
6
2
6
4
6
2
     
3  
 
Clark Graebner / Charlie Pasarell
Juan Gisbert / Manuel Santana
11
13
17
15
7
5
6
2
   
4  
 
Clark Graebner
Juan Gisbert
9
7
6
3
6
1
     
5  
 
Arthur Ashe
Manuel Santana
11
13
7
5
6
3
13
15
6
4
 

Final

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United States vs. India

 
United States
4
Caribe Hilton Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico[12]
9–11 November 1968
Hard
 
India
1
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
Arthur Ashe
Premjit Lall
6
2
5
7
6
2
6
4
   
2  
 
Clark Graebner
Ramanathan Krishnan
5
7
6
4
2
6
1
6
   
3  
 
Bob Lutz / Stan Smith
Ramanathan Krishnan / Jaidip Mukerjea
6
2
6
3
6
2
     
4  
 
Arthur Ashe
Ramanathan Krishnan
6
1
6
3
6
3
     
5  
 
Clark Graebner
Premjit Lall
9
11
9
7
7
5
6
4
   

Challenge Round

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Australia vs. United States

 
Australia
1
Memorial Drive Park, Adelaide, Australia[3]
26–28 December 1968
Grass
 
United States
4
1 2 3 4 5
1  
 
Bill Bowrey
Clark Graebner
10
8
4
6
6
8
6
3
1
6
 
2  
 
Ray Ruffels
Arthur Ashe
8
6
5
7
3
6
3
6
   
3  
 
John Alexander / Ray Ruffels
Bob Lutz / Stan Smith
4
6
4
6
2
6
     
4  
 
Ray Ruffels
Clark Graebner
6
3
6
8
6
2
3
6
1
6
 
5  
 
Bill Bowrey
Arthur Ashe
2
6
6
3
11
9
8
6
   

See also

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  • The White Game, a 1968 Swedish documentary film about the protests around the match between Sweden and Rhodesia.

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. ^ Max Robertson (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. p. 384. ISBN 0047960426.
  3. ^ a b "Australia v United States". daviscup.com.
  4. ^ Wijk, Johnny (2009-03-07). "Idrotten tjänar på de politiska aktionerna". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  5. ^ "Chile waits for Cup decision". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 12 September 1975. Retrieved 7 May 2019. Seven years ago, the Swedish Tennis Federation was forced to move a Davis Cup match between Sweden and white-ruled Rhodesia to southern France after demonstrators had clashed with police outside Baastad's tennis stadium.
  6. ^ "United States v Ecuador". daviscup.com.
  7. ^ "Japan v India". daviscup.com.
  8. ^ "Spain v Italy". daviscup.com.
  9. ^ "West Germany v South Africa". daviscup.com.
  10. ^ "West Germany v India". daviscup.com.
  11. ^ "United States v Spain". daviscup.com.
  12. ^ "United States v India". daviscup.com.
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