# 1978 Davis Cup

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1978 edition of the Davis Cup

1978 Davis Cup Details Duration 27 August 1977 – 10 December 1978 Edition 67th Teams 50 Champion Winning nation United States ← 1977 1979 →

The **1978 Davis Cup** was the 67th edition of the [Davis Cup](/source/Davis_Cup), the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. 50 teams entered the competition, 29 in the Europe Zone, 10 in the Americas Zone, and 11 in the Eastern Zone.

The [United States](/source/United_States_Davis_Cup_team) defeated [Chile](/source/Chile_Davis_Cup_team) in the Americas Inter-Zonal final, [Australia](/source/Australia_Davis_Cup_team) defeated [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand_Davis_Cup_team) in the Eastern Zone final, and [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain_Davis_Cup_team) and [Sweden](/source/Sweden_Davis_Cup_team) were the winners of the two Europe Zones, defeating [Czechoslovakia](/source/Czechoslovakia_Davis_Cup_team) and [Hungary](/source/Hungary_Davis_Cup_team) respectively.

In the Inter-Zonal Zone, the United States defeated Sweden and Great Britain defeated Australia in the semifinals. The United States then defeated Great Britain in the final to win their 25th title overall and their first since [1972](/source/1972_Davis_Cup). The final was held at the [Mission Hills Country Club](/source/Mission_Hills_Country_Club) in [Rancho Mirage, California](/source/Rancho_Mirage%2C_California), United States on 8–10 December.[1][2]

## Political controversy

The competition was significantly marked by political issues: [Canada](/source/Canada_Davis_Cup_team), [Mexico](/source/Mexico_Davis_Cup_team), [Venezuela](/source/Venezuela_Davis_Cup_team), and the [Caribbean/West Indies](/source/Caribbean%2FWest_Indies_Davis_Cup_team) all withdrew from the North & Central America Zone due to the continued presence of [South Africa](/source/South_Africa_Davis_Cup_team) in the competition, despite continued international condemnation of their government's [apartheid policies](/source/Apartheid).[3]

The North & Central America Zone final between the United States and South Africa, held at [Vanderbilt University](/source/Vanderbilt_University), [Nashville, Tennessee](/source/Nashville%2C_Tennessee), attracted crowds of up to 5,000 protesters each day, and efforts by the South African side to appease critics by nominating [Peter Lamb](/source/Peter_Lamb_(tennis)) as its first "[coloured](/source/Coloureds)" player were derided by some as [tokenism](/source/Tokenism), given he did not actually play during the tie and was a student enrolled at Vanderbilt University at the time of the tournament.[4][5][6]

The [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union_Davis_Cup_team) continued to be barred for competing following its refusal to compete against Chile in the [1976 semifinals](/source/1976_Davis_Cup#Inter-Zonal_Zone) and its promised refusal to compete against South Africa.

## Americas Zone

Main article: [1978 Davis Cup Americas Zone](/source/1978_Davis_Cup_Americas_Zone)

### North & Central America Zone

Semifinals Final United States Nashville, TN, United States (indoor carpet) bye United States 4 Johannesburg, South Africa South Africa 1 South Africa 4 Colombia 1

### South America Zone

#### Preliminary rounds

First Round Qualifying Round Chile Santiago, Chile bye Chile 5 Lima, Peru Bolivia 0 Peru 0 Bolivia 5 Montevideo, Uruguay (clay) Uruguay 3 Montevideo, Uruguay Ecuador 2 Uruguay 4 Brazil 1 bye Brazil

#### Main Draw

Semifinals 18–20 December 1977 Final 17–19 March Santiago, Chile Chile 5 Santiago, Chile (clay) Uruguay 0 Chile 3 Argentina 2 bye Argentina

### Americas Inter-Zonal Final

**Chile vs. United States**

Chile 2 Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile[7] 15–17 September 1978 Clay[8] United States 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 Jaime Fillol Brian Gottfried 4 6 5 7 2 6 2 Hans Gildemeister Harold Solomon 5 7 6 3 3 6 1 6 3 Jaime Fillol / Belus Prajoux Brian Gottfried / John McEnroe 6 3 3 6 6 8 3 6 4 Jaime Fillol Harold Solomon 6 3 6 2 5 Hans Gildemeister Brian Gottfried 4 6 7 5 12 10

## Eastern Zone

Main article: [1978 Davis Cup Eastern Zone](/source/1978_Davis_Cup_Eastern_Zone)

### Preliminary rounds

First Round Qualifying Round Manila, Philippines Philippines 5 Manila, Philippines Thailand 0 Philippines 1 Tokyo, Japan Japan 4 Japan 5 Chinese Taipei 0 Rawalpindi, Pakistan Pakistan 4 Seoul, South Korea Malaysia 0 Pakistan 2 South Korea 3 bye South Korea

### Main Draw

Quarterfinals 9–12 December 1977 Semifinals 19–22 January Final 24–26 February Australia Tokyo, Japan (clay) bye Australia 5 Tokyo, Japan Japan 0 Indonesia 1 Adelaide, Australia (grass) Japan 4 Australia 4 Coimbatore, India New Zealand 0 South Korea 1 New Delhi, India India 4 India 1 New Zealand 4 bye New Zealand

#### Final

**Australia vs. New Zealand**

Australia 4 Memorial Drive, Adelaide, Australia[9] 24–26 February 1978 Grass New Zealand 0 1 2 3 4 5 1 Tony Roche Chris Lewis 13 11 6 3 6 2 2 John Alexander Brian Fairlie 6 4 6 4 6 4 3 John Alexander / Tony Roche Brian Fairlie / Chris Lewis 6 3 6 4 12 14 4 6 6 1 4 John Alexander Chris Lewis 8 10 16 14 6 1 9 7 5 Allan Stone Brian Fairlie 2 6 6 1 not completed

## Europe Zone

Main article: [1978 Davis Cup Europe Zone](/source/1978_Davis_Cup_Europe_Zone)

### Zone A

#### Preliminary rounds

First Round Qualifying Round Monte Carlo, Monaco Monaco 5 Monte Carlo, Monaco (clay) Luxembourg 0 Monaco 0 Great Britain 5 bye Great Britain Tel Aviv, Israel (hard) Israel 5 Tel Aviv, Israel (hard) Finland 0 Israel 2 Austria 3 bye Austria Czechoslovakia Prague, Czechoslovakia (indoor clay) bye Czechoslovakia 3 Zeist, Netherlands (clay) Netherlands 1 Netherlands 4 Greece 1 Poland Warsaw, Poland bye Poland 4 Algiers, Algeria (clay) Iran 1 Algeria 1 Iran 4

#### Main Draw

Quarterfinals 16–18 June Semifinals 13–15 July Final 15–17 September France Paris, France (clay) bye France 2 Bristol, United Kingdom (grass) Great Britain 3 Great Britain 5 Eastbourne, United Kingdom (grass) Austria 0 Great Britain 5 Prague, Czechoslovakia (clay) Czechoslovakia 0 Czechoslovakia 3 Prague, Czechoslovakia (clay) Poland 2 Czechoslovakia 5 Romania 0 bye Romania

#### Final

**Great Britain vs. Czechoslovakia**

Great Britain 5 Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, United Kingdom[10] 15–17 September 1978 Grass Czechoslovakia 0 1 2 3 4 5 1 John Lloyd Jiří Hřebec 9 7 6 3 4 6 5 7 12 10 2 Buster Mottram Ivan Lendl 6 4 7 5 7 5 3 Mark Cox / David Lloyd Jan Kodeš / Tomáš Šmíd 6 4 13 15 6 4 2 6 6 4 4 Mark Cox Ivan Lendl 6 2 6 4 6 3 5 Buster Mottram Jiří Hřebec 5 7 3 6 6 3 6 4 6 0

### Zone B

#### Pre-qualifying round

Pre-qualifying round Casablanca, Morocco Morocco 5 Turkey 0

#### Preliminary rounds

First Round Qualifying Round Casablanca, Morocco (clay) Morocco 4 Casablanca, Morocco Norway 1 Morocco 0 Yugoslavia 5 bye Yugoslavia Dublin, Ireland (grass) Ireland 4 Dublin, Ireland (indoor hard) Portugal 1 Ireland 0 Sweden 5 bye Sweden Hungary Pécs, Hungary bye Hungary 4 Brussels, Belgium (clay) Belgium 1 Belgium 3 Denmark 2 Lucerne, Switzerland Switzerland 5 Zürich, Switzerland Egypt 0 Switzerland 0 West Germany 5 bye West Germany

#### Main Draw

Quarterfinals 13–18 June Semifinals 13–16 July Final 15–17 September Spain Båstad, Sweden (clay) bye Spain 2 Belgrade, Yugoslavia (clay) Sweden 3 Yugoslavia 2 Båstad, Sweden (clay) Sweden 3 Sweden 3 Budapest, Hungary Hungary 1 Hungary 3 Budapest, Hungary West Germany 2 Hungary 4 Italy 1 bye Italy

#### Final

**Sweden vs. Hungary**

Sweden 3 Båstad Tennis Stadium, Båstad, Sweden[11] 15–17 September 1978 Clay Hungary 1 1 2 3 4 5 1 Kjell Johansson Balázs Taróczy 7 5 6 2 6 4 2 Björn Borg Péter Szőke 6 2 6 0 6 0 3 Ove Bengtson / Tenny Svensson Péter Szőke / Balázs Taróczy 2 6 1 6 10 12 4 Kjell Johansson Péter Szőke 3 6 7 5 6 1 3 6 6 1 5 Tenny Svensson Balázs Taróczy 2 6 6 4 5 5 not completed

## Inter-Zonal Zone

### Draw

Semifinals 6–8 October Final 8–10 December Gothenburg, Sweden (indoor carpet) EUR-B Sweden 2 Rancho Mirage, CA, United States (hard) AME United States 3 AME United States 4 London, United Kingdom (indoor carpet) EUR-A Great Britain 1 EAS Australia 2 EUR-A Great Britain 3

### Semifinals

**Sweden vs. United States**

Sweden 2 Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden[12] 6–8 October 1978 Carpet (indoors) United States 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 Björn Borg Arthur Ashe 6 4 7 5 6 3 2 Kjell Johansson Vitas Gerulaitis 2 6 1 6 4 6 3 Ove Bengtson / Björn Borg Bob Lutz / Stan Smith 6 2 3 6 6 3 5 7 3 6 4 Kjell Johansson Arthur Ashe 2 6 0 6 5 7 5 Björn Borg Vitas Gerulaitis 6 3 6 1

**Great Britain vs. Australia**

Great Britain 3 National Sports Centre, London, United Kingdom[13] 6–8 October 1978 Carpet (indoors) Australia 2 1 2 3 4 5 1 Buster Mottram Tony Roche 8 6 3 6 7 5 6 4 2 John Lloyd John Alexander 7 5 6 2 6 2 3 Mark Cox / David Lloyd Ross Case / Geoff Masters 8 6 3 6 6 4 6 3 4 John Lloyd Tony Roche 3 6 3 6 2 6 5 Buster Mottram John Alexander 2 6 3 6 2 6

### Final

**United States vs. Great Britain**

United States 4 Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, CA, United States[2] 8–10 December 1978 Hard Great Britain 1 1 2 3 4 5 1 John McEnroe John Lloyd 6 1 6 2 6 2 2 Brian Gottfried Buster Mottram 6 4 6 2 8 10 4 6 3 6 3 Bob Lutz / Stan Smith Mark Cox / David Lloyd 6 2 6 2 6 3 4 John McEnroe Buster Mottram 6 2 6 2 6 1 5 Brian Gottfried John Lloyd 6 1 6 2 6 4

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Collins_1-0)** Bud Collins (2010). *The Bud Collins History of Tennis* (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 495–496, 499. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0942257700](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0942257700).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Final_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Final_2-1) ["United States v Great Britain"](https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-1978-WG-M-USA-GBR-01). daviscup.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Canada heads pullout from 1978 Davis Cup"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bJcuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iaEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6518,604605). *[Montreal Gazette](/source/Montreal_Gazette)*. [Reuters](/source/Reuters). July 4, 1977. Retrieved October 26, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["African Activist Archive"](https://africanactivist.msu.edu/image.php?objectid=32-131-147). *Africanactivist.msu.edu*. Retrieved October 26, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Jim Jerome (March 20, 1978). ["Apartheid Critics Say He's Merely a Token, but Peter Lamb's Davis Cup Runneth Over"](https://people.com/archive/apartheid-critics-say-hes-merely-a-token-but-peter-lambs-davis-cup-runneth-over-vol-9-no-11/). *People.com*. Retrieved October 26, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["The Crisis"](https://books.google.com/books?id=cIh_AK0BFrYC&pg=PA201). Retrieved October 26, 2019 – via [Google Books](/source/Google_Books).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Chile v United States"](https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-1978-AMI-M-CHI-USA-01). daviscup.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Jaime Fillol vs Brian Gottfried"](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/jaime-fillol-sr-vs-brian-gottfried/F024/G029). atptour.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Australia v New Zealand"](https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-1978-EAS-M-AUS-NZL-01). daviscup.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Great Britain v Czechoslovakia"](https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-1978-EUR-A-M-GBR-TCH-01). daviscup.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Sweden v Hungary"](https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-1978-EUR-B-M-SWE-HUN-01). daviscup.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Sweden v United States"](https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-1978-INZ-M-SWE-USA-01). daviscup.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Great Britain v Australia"](https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-1978-INZ-M-GBR-AUS-01). daviscup.com.

## External links

- [Davis Cup Official Website](https://www.daviscup.com)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [1978 Davis Cup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_Davis_Cup) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_Davis_Cup?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.