In this post, we look at the history of a legendary tournament. Here are 5 of the Most Impressive Davis Cup Performances of all Time.
5 Most Impressive Davis Cup Performances of All Time
Wimbledon coming to a close and you’re already looking for your next Tennis fix? The Davis Cup to the rescue.
It’s the middle of July, and it’s lashing down with rain, yep, It’s Wimbledon season. To some, nothing more than a carnival of pomposity, rich folk gorging on strawberries and Ice cream, all decked head to toe in Ralph Lauren, listening to Cliff Richard. To others, it’s the pinnacle of the Tennis calendar. But what is certain is that it will all be a distant memory in a matter of days. But don’t worry. We’ve got the upcoming Davis Cup in 2023 on the horizon.
The intense verve of Nation v Nation, the patriotism, the raucous crowds, a rough and ready World Cup of Tennis, oh, and it doesn’t involve Clare Balding. Sadly, the finals don’t start until November, but let’s not allow time yet to pass to get in the way. Here are 5 of the most impressive performances to get you in the mood.
Fred Perry – 1933
Pretty much the zenith of British Tennis. This was the start of British domination that would last from 1933 – 1936. When met by the French juggernaut “The Four Musketeers” that had previously bulldozed all in their path from 1927 -1932, Perry stood defiant, a bit like that guy in front of the tank in Tiananmen Square. It was a turbulent tussle in the final and things got quite intense after Perry blew a 5-1 lead in the fourth set, but the plucky Brit came through 4-6, 8-6, 6-2, 7-5 clinching the cup.
Pete Sampras – 1995
The American’s mission to Moscow came to a triumphant end after Sampras beat Andrei Chesnokov in the final match. Going into proceedings, crushing on clay wasn’t the Sampras’s forte, only recording single titles on the surface prior.
He dispatched the promising Yevgeny Kafelnikov in his first game in straight sets. Against Chesnokov, Sampras struggled after losing the first set but came roaring back to win the next two 6-2 & 6-4. Chesnokov took the fourth; however, Sampras bounced back to win the fifth.
He won all three of his matches to clinch it for the USA, despite collapsing towards the end. A true warrior. “Call it fate. Call it lucking out. Call it whatever,” reflected Samprass with hilarious honesty.
Henri Cochet – 1928
Cochet was nicknamed the Ball Boy of Lyon due to his diminutive stature. As part of the formidable “Four Musketeers”, he would help the French dominate from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. In a real clash of the titans (well in Tennis terms at least, Cochet was 5,6) he beat American superstar Bill Tilden 9-7, 8-6, 6-4 to seal France’s second consecutive Davis Cup title at the then-sparkling new Roland Garros. Cochet made history, sparking a Golden Age of French tennis.
Ivan Ljubicic – 2005
Ivan Ljubici must have had his head in his hands when faced with the daunting task of beating Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and the Bryan twins in the United States. Unfazed, that’s exactly what the fearless Croat did. He stunned the world by beating Roddick, 6-2 in the fifth set, despite the onset of cramp in the latter stages. Succumbing to his injury, he lost to Dominik Hrbaty, which had brought Slovakia level at 2-2.
Teammate Ancic beat Mertinak to clinch the best-of-five series between two first-time finalists. Ivan went down in folklore, significantly securing Croatia’s first and only victory in the tournament.
John McEnroe – 1982
The fiery New Yorker rocked up at this tournament as World No 1. In the quarter-finals in St. Louis, Missouri, he played in what was, at the time, the longest match in tennis history. An exhausting six hours and 22 minutes of play! Plenty of time for another one of his crazed rants at the umpire! The victory sent the USA to the final, beating the record for the longest tennis match. Quite the stint! So there you have it, 5 incredible performances to savour. We get it. November is still four months away, so why not check out our podcast for all things tennis?
