Davis Cup

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Regulated by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the Davis Cup employs a knockout format. Also called a single-elimination or sudden death tournament, teams of players from competing countries are eliminated immediately if they lose a match.

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Sixteen teams compete in the World Group, which is the highest division, and more than 100 other teams will compete in different regional groups. Competition is spread over four weekends with first round matches held in February and the championship match held in late November or early December.

The 16 teams competing in the 2007 World Group are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

Competing teams play five matches over three days. The first day two singles matches are played. A doubles match is played on the second day and on the third day the final two matches are reverse singles, in which the first day contestants swap opponents.

Originally knows at the International Lawn Tennis Challenge, it was first held in 1900 when the United States defeated Great Britain. It was renamed the Davis Cup in 1945 after Dwight Davis, who was a member of the 1900 United States team and later served as U.S. Secretary of War from 1925-29.

In the 2006 Davis Cup finals, Russia defeated Argentina, 3-2, in Olympic Stadium, Moscow. Other recent winners include Croatia, 2005; Spain, 2004 and 2000; Australia, 2003 and 1999; Russia, 2002; France, 2001; Sweden, 1998 and 1997; France, 1996; and the United States, 1995.

The United States has won the event the most times, 31, followed by Australia, 24, France and Great Britain, nine each, Sweden, 7, and Australasia (Australia and New Zealand), four.

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