1939 International Lawn Tennis Challenge

The 1939 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 34th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. 20 teams entered the Europe Zone, while 7 entered the America Zone.

1939 International Lawn Tennis Challenge

John Bromwich and Adrian Quist with the Davis Cup trophy in Sydney, November 1939
Details
Duration	5 May – 5 September 1939
Edition	34th
Teams	25
Champion
Winning nation	Australia
← 1938 1946 →

Australia defeated Cuba in the North & Central America Zone final, and then received a walkover in the America Inter-Zonal final after Brazil, the only team in the South America Zone, withdrew. In the Europe Zone final Yugoslavia defeated Germany. In the Inter-Zonal play-off Australia defeated Yugoslavia, and then defeated the United States in the Challenge Round. The final was played at the Merion Cricket Club in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States on 2–5 September.^[1][2][3]

America Zone

Further information: 1939 International Lawn Tennis Challenge America Zone

North & Central America Zone

Quarterfinals 30 June–23 July

Semifinals 14–16 July

Final 10–12 August

Philippines

Long Beach, CA, United States (grass)

bye

Philippines

0

Mexico City, Mexico (clay)

Australia

5

Australia

5

Rumson, NJ, United States (grass)

Mexico

0

Australia

5

Havana, Cuba (clay)

Cuba

0

Canada

1

Cuba

4

Cuba

w/o

Japan[a]

bye

Japan

Final

Cuba vs. Australia

Cuba 0	Seabright Lawn Tennis Club, Rumson, NJ, United States[5] 10–12 August 1939 Grass		Australia 5
1 2 3 4 5 1 José Agüero John Bromwich 6 8 0 6 2 6       2 Ricardo Morales Adrian Quist 0 6 2 6 2 6       3 Ricardo Morales / Lorenzo Nodarse John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1 6 0 6 3 6       4 Ricardo Morales John Bromwich 6 8 6 8 1 6       5 José Agüero Adrian Quist 1 6 0 6 0 6

Americas Inter-Zonal Final

Australia defeated Brazil by walkover.^[6]

Europe Zone

Further information: 1939 International Lawn Tennis Challenge Europe Zone

Second-round match between Germany and Poland in Warsaw: Henner Henkel, Georg von Metaxa, Józef Hebda, Adam Baworowski

Draw

First Round 5–7 May

Second Round 11–21 May

Quarterfinals 25–29 May

Semifinals 2–5 June

Final 28–30 July

Great Britain

Brighton, England (clay)

bye

Great Britain

3

New Zealand

New Zealand

2

Wimbledon, England (grass)

bye

Great Britain

3

France

Paris, France (clay)

France

2

bye

France

4

China

China

1

Berlin, Germany (clay)

bye

Great Britain

0

Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden (clay)

Germany

5

bye

Sweden

4

Denmark

Denmark

1

Berlin, Germany (clay)

bye

Sweden

1

Germany

5

Warsaw, Poland

Germany

4

Switzerland

0

Germany

3

Poland

4

Poland

2

Zagreb, Yugoslavia

Netherlands

1

Germany

2

Romania

2

Budapest, Hungary

Yugoslavia

3

Hungary

3

Hungary

1

Yugoslavia

5

Yugoslavia

4

Milan, Italy (clay)

Ireland

0

Yugoslavia

3

bye

Naples, Italy (clay)

Italy

2

Italy

Italy

3

bye

Monaco

0

Zagreb, Yugoslavia

Monaco

Yugoslavia

3

bye

Brussels, Belgium

Belgium

2

Belgium

Belgium

3

bye

India

2

Brussels, Belgium (clay)

India

Belgium

5

bye

Norway

0

Norway

Norway

w/o

bye

Czechoslovakia[b]

Czechoslovakia

Final

Yugoslavia vs. Germany

Yugoslavia 3	A.T.K. Stadium, Zagreb, Yugoslavia[7] 28–30 July 1939		Germany 2
1 2 3 4 5 1 Franjo Punčec Rolf Göpfert 6 3 6 1 6 0       2 Dragutin Mitić Henner Henkel 0 6 1 6 6 4 4 6     3 Franjo Kukuljević / Franjo Punčec Henner Henkel / Roderich Menzel 7 9 6 4 4 6 6 3 1 4   4 Dragutin Mitić Rolf Göpfert 6 1 6 2 6 3       5 Franjo Punčec Henner Henkel 10 8 6 3 6 0

Inter-Zonal Final

Australia vs. Yugoslavia

Australia 4	Longwood Cricket Club, Boston, MA, United States[8] 24–26 August 1939 Grass		Yugoslavia 1
1 2 3 4 5 1 Adrian Quist Dragutin Mitić 6 0 6 4 6 3       2 John Bromwich Franjo Punčec 2 6 6 8 6 0 2 6     3 John Bromwich / Adrian Quist Franjo Kukuljević / Franjo Punčec 6 2 6 3 6 3       4 John Bromwich Dragutin Mitić 6 1 6 3 6 2       5 Adrian Quist Franjo Kukuljević 6 2 6 3 6 4

Challenge Round

United States vs. Australia

United States 2	Merion Cricket Club, Haverford, PA, United States[3] 2–5 September 1939 Grass		Australia 3
1 2 3 4 5 1 Bobby Riggs John Bromwich 6 4 6 0 7 5       2 Frank Parker Adrian Quist 6 3 2 6 6 4 1 6 7 5   3 Joe Hunt / Jack Kramer John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 7 5 2 6 5 7 2 6     4 Bobby Riggs Adrian Quist 1 6 4 6 6 3 6 3 4 6   5 Frank Parker John Bromwich 0 6 3 6 1 6

See also

• 1939 Wightman Cup

Notes

1. Japan withdrew from the competition after their top player, Jiro Yamagishi, joined the Imperial Japanese Navy.^[4]
2. The tie between Norway and Czechoslovakia was abandoned due to the German invasion and partition of Czechoslovakia in March 1939.