1974 Davis Cup

1974 Davis Cup

Details
Duration	5 October 1973 – 1 December 1974
Edition	63rd
Teams	55
Champion
Winning nation	South Africa
← 1973 1975 →

The 1974 Davis Cup was the 63rd edition of the Davis Cup, the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 57 teams would enter the competition, 33 in the Europe Zone, 12 in the Americas Zone, and 12 in the Eastern Zone. Nigeria made its first appearance in the tournament.^{[citation needed]}

South Africa defeated Colombia in the Americas Inter-Zonal final, India defeated Australia in the Eastern Zone final, and Italy and the Soviet Union were the winners of the two Europe Zones, defeating Romania and Czechoslovakia respectively. In the Inter-Zonal Zone, South Africa defeated Italy and India defeated the Soviet Union in the semifinals.

India refused to travel to South Africa for the final due to their government's opposition to South Africa's apartheid policies: therefore, the final was scratched and South Africa were awarded the Davis Cup.^[1][2] South Africa became only the fifth nation to win the Davis Cup, breaking the dominance of the United States, Great Britain, France and Australia teams which had won every tournament before this year.^[3]

Colombia vs. South Africa

Colombia 2	Bogotá, Colombia[4] 10–12 May 1974		South Africa 3
1 2 3 4 5 1 Iván Molina Ray Moore 8 6 3 6 5 7 4 6     2 Jairo Velasco Bob Hewitt 1 6 3 6 2 6       3 Iván Molina / Jairo Velasco Bob Hewitt / Frew McMillan 3 6 0 6 3 6       4 Jairo Velasco Ray Moore 6 2 4 6 6 3 7 9 6 2   5 Álvaro Betancur Byron Bertram 6 2 4 6 8 6 8 6

India vs. Australia

India 3	Calcutta, India[5] 10–12 May 1974		Australia 2
1 2 3 4 5 1 Jasjit Singh Bob Giltinan 11 9 9 11 12 10 8 6     2 Vijay Amritraj John Alexander 12 14 15 17 8 6 2 6     3 Anand Amritraj / Vijay Amritraj John Alexander / Colin Dibley 17 15 6 8 6 3 16 18 6 4   4 Jasjit Singh John Alexander 6 8 4 6 3 6       5 Vijay Amritraj Bob Giltinan 6 1 5 7 6 4 6 4

The Eastern Zone Final set the Davis Cup record for the most games in a tie (327).^[6]

Italy vs. Romania

Italy 3	Mestre, Italy[7] 2–4 August 1974 Clay		Romania 2
1 2 3 4 5 1 Corrado Barazzutti Ilie Năstase 7 9 0 6 1 6       2 Adriano Panatta Ion Țiriac 6 1 6 3 6 2       3 Paolo Bertolucci / Adriano Panatta Ilie Năstase / Ion Țiriac 6 4 8 6 6 8 4 6 6 2   4 Corrado Barazzutti Ion Țiriac 6 3 6 0 6 0       5 Adriano Panatta Ilie Năstase 0 6 0 6 5 7

Soviet Union vs. Czechoslovakia

Soviet Union 3	Donetsk, Soviet Union[8] 26–28 July 1974 Clay		Czechoslovakia 2
1 2 3 4 5 1 Alex Metreveli František Pála 6 2 6 4 3 6 6 2     2 Teimuraz Kakulia Jan Kodeš 4 6 2 6 3 6       3 Vladimir Korotkov / Alex Metreveli Jan Kodeš / Vladimír Zedník 4 6 1 6 3 6       4 Alex Metreveli Jan Kodeš 4 6 6 3 4 6 6 3 7 5   5 Teimuraz Kakulia František Pála 6 3 4 6 6 4 2 6 6 4

India vs. Soviet Union

India 3	Poona, India[9] 20–22 September 1974		Soviet Union 1
1 2 3 4 5 1 Vijay Amritraj Teimuraz Kakulia 6 4 11 9 6 3       2 Anand Amritraj Alex Metreveli 4 6 7 9 3 6       3 Anand Amritraj / Vijay Amritraj Vladimir Korotkov / Alex Metreveli 13 15 7 5 19 17 6 3     4 Anand Amritraj Teimuraz Kakulia 6 2 8 10 4 6 6 3 6 3   5 Vijay Amritraj Alex Metreveli           not played

South Africa vs. Italy

South Africa 4	Ellis Park, Johannesburg, South Africa[10] 3–5 October 1974 [b]		Italy 1
1 2 3 4 5 1 Bob Hewitt Antonio Zugarelli 4 6 6 0 9 7 4 6 6 1   2 Ray Moore Adriano Panatta 4 6 6 4 6 3 6 4     3 Bob Hewitt / Frew McMillan Paolo Bertolucci / Adriano Panatta 7 5 6 4 10 8       4 Ray Moore Antonio Zugarelli 6 3 7 5 6 3       5 Bob Hewitt Adriano Panatta 3 6 6 8 2 6

The final between South Africa and India was scheduled to be completed by 1 December 1974, but India refused to travel to South Africa due to their government's opposition to South Africa's apartheid policies: therefore, the final was scratched and South Africa were awarded the Davis Cup.^[1][2]

• Davis Cup Official Website