The Germany Davis Cup team represents Germany in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the German Tennis Federation. As East Germany never participated in the Davis Cup, and the Deutscher Tennisbund remained the same organization throughout the century, the West German Davis Cup team is included in this article.
Germany has won the Davis Cup three times (1988, 1989, 1993) and finished as runners-up twice (1970, 1985).
Germany competed in its first Davis Cup in 1913. Since then they have reached five finals.
First final participation in 1970
In 1970, Germany reached the Davis Cup final for the first time. Having defeated Denmark, Egypt, Belgium and the Soviet Union in the European zone they played India and Spain in the so-called interzonal zone, beating both teams. In the final Wilhelm Bungert and Christian Kuhnke played Arthur Ashe and Cliff Richey in singles, and Bob Lutz/Stan Smith in doubles. The German players lost all five matches, all but one in three sets.
Tie summary Davis Cup Final 1970 - United States vs. West Germany 5–0[1]
Fifteen years later Germany reached the Davis Cup final for the second time. After close successes against Spain and the United States and a clear victory against Czechoslovakia in the World Group Germany played Sweden at home in Munich. Germany played with Boris Becker and Michael Westphal in the singles and with Becker/Andreas Maurer in the double. After the fourth rubber against Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg in the singles and Wilander/Joakim Nyström in the double the standings were 2–2. In the decisive fifth rubber Westphal lost to Stefan Edberg in four sets.
Tie summary Davis Cup Final 1985 - West Germany vs. Sweden 2–3[2]
Only three years later Germany reached the Davis Cup final for the third time. After three 5–0 whitewashes against Brazil, Denmark and Yugoslavia Germany once again met Sweden. Now it was Sweden's turn to lose at home. Germany secured its triumph in the third match, the double. Carl-Uwe Steeb and Boris Becker had defeated Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg, respectively, before the German double consisting of Becker and Eric Jelen defeated Edberg and Anders Järryd in five sets. The fourth match which was shortened to best of three was won by Edberg before Sweden let Germany get its fourth point by a walkover.
Tie summary Davis Cup Final 1988 - Sweden vs. West Germany 1–4[3]
Germany defeated Indonesia, Czechoslovakia and the United States on the way to their second consecutive final and the final once again was Germany against Sweden. This time the final took place in Stuttgart. Mats Wilander achieved the 1–0 lead for Sweden by defeating Carl-Uwe Steeb in five sets before Boris Becker levelled the standings in a three-set victory against Stefan Edberg. Becker and Eric Jelen defeated the Sweden double of Jan Gunnarsson and Anders Järryd in five sets before Becker secured the second consecutive German Davis Cup title by defeating Mats Wilander in three sets.[4]
Tie summary Davis Cup Final 1989 - West Germany vs. Sweden 3–2[5]
It took Germany four years to reach the Davis Cup final for the fifth time, and they did so by beating Russia, the Czech Republic and – once again – Sweden. In the final against Australia that took place in Düsseldorf, Germany, Michael Stich defeated Jason Stoltenberg in five sets to mark the first point for Germany. In the second Friday single, Marc-Kevin Goellner lost to Richard Fromberg with a result of 7–9 in the fifth set. Stich and Patrik Kühnen defeated their Australian counterparts Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde in the double, marking the 2–1 for Germany. In the fourth rubber, Michael Stich clearly defeated Richard Fromberg in three sets before Goellner defeated Stoltenberg in the tie-break of the third and last set.
Tie summary Davis Cup Final 1993 - Germany vs. Australia 4–1[6]
Semifinals of the play-off (beating France 4–1, losing to United States 0–5)
1914
Semifinals of the play-off (bye, losing to Australia 0–5)
1915–1918
no tournament
1919–1926
did not participate
1927
Europe zone, quarterfinals (bye, beating Portugal 5–0, losing to South Africa 1–4)
1928
Europe zone, quarterfinals (beating Greece 4–1, beating Spain 3–2, losing to Great Britain 1–4)
1929
Interzonal round (bye, beating Spain 4–1, beating Italy 3–2, beating Czechoslovakia 4–1, beating Great Britain 4–1, losing to United States 0–5)
1930
Europe zone, 1st round (losing to Great Britain 2–3)
1931
Europe zone, 1st round (losing to South Africa 0–5)
1932
Interzonal round (beating India 5–0, beating Austria 3–2, beating Ireland 4–1, beating Great Britain 3–2, beating Italy 5–0, losing to United States 2–3)
1933
Europe zone, quarterfinal (beating Egypt 5–0, beating Netherlands 4–1, losing to Japan 1–4)
1934
Europe zone, quarterfinal (bye, losing to France 2–3)
1935
Interzonal round (bye, beating Italy 4–1, beating Australia 4–1, beating Czechoslovakia 4–1, losing to United States 2–3)
1936
Interzonal round (beating Spain 4–1, beating Hungary 5–0, beating Argentina 4–1, beating Ireland 5–0, beating Yugoslavia 3–0, losing to Australia 1–4)
1937
Interzonal round (bye, beating Austria 3–1, beating Italy 4–1, beating Belgium 4–1, beating Czechoslovakia 4–1, losing to United States 2–3)
1938
Interzonal round (bye, beating Norway 5–0, beating Hungary 3–1, beating France 3–2, beating Yugoslavia 3–2, losing to Australia 0–5)
1939
Europe zone, final (beating Switzerland 5–0, beating Poland 3–2, beating Sweden 4–1, beating Great Britain 5–0, losing to Yugoslavia 2–3)
1940–1945
no tournament
1946–1950
did not participate
1951
Europe zone, final (beating Yugoslavia 3–2, beating Denmark 4–1, beating Belgium 3–2, beating Italy 3–2, losing to Sweden 0–5)
1952
Europe zone, quarterfinal (bye, beating Brazil 3–2, losing to Denmark 1–4)
1953
Europe zone, quarterfinal (bye, beating South Africa 3–2, losing to France 1–4)
1954
Europe zone, 2nd round (bye, losing to Hungary 1–4)
1955
Europe zone, 2nd round (beating Ireland 4–1, losing to Italy 0–5)
1956
Europe zone, quarterfinal (bye, beating Ireland 4–1, losing to France 1–4)
1957
Europe zone, 2nd round (bye, losing to Mexico 1–3)
1958
Europe zone, quarterfinal (beating Netherlands 4–0, beating Belgium 3–2, losing to Great Britain 0–5)
1959
Europe zone, 1st round (losing to Brazil 0–4)
1960
Europe zone, quarterfinal (beating Czechoslovakia 3–2, beating Poland 4–1, losing to Sweden 1–4
West Germany (1960–1980)
Year
Result
1961
Europe zone, quarterfinal (beating Czechoslovakia 3–2, beating Netherlands 5–0, losing to Italy 2–3)
1962
Europe zone, quarterfinal (beating Spain 3–2, beating Romania 5–0, losing to South Africa 2–3)
1963
Europe zone, 1st round (losing to Spain 2–3)
1964
Europe zone, semifinal (beating Belgium 5–0, beating Soviet Union 4–1, beating Denmark 4–1, losing to Sweden 2–3)
1965
Europe zone, quarterfinal (beating Switzerland 5–0, beating Luxembourg 5–0, losing to Spain 1–4)
1966
Interzonal round, semifinal (beating Norway 5–0, beating Switzerland 4–1, beating Great Britain 3–2, beating South Africa 3–2, losing to India 2–3)
1967
Europe zone B, 1st round (losing to Soviet Union 2–3)
1968
Interzonal round, semifinal (beating Switzerland 4–1, beating Bulgaria 5–0, beating Czechoslovakia 4–1, beating South Africa 3–2, losing to India 2–3)
1969
Europe zone B, semifinal (beating New Zealand 4–1, beating Sweden 4–1, losing to Great Britain 2–3)
1970
2nd place (beating Denmark 4–1, beating Egypt 5–0, beating Belgium 5–0, beating Soviet Union 3–2, beating India 5–0, beating Spain 4–1, losing to United States 0–5)
1971
Europe zone A, final (bye, beating Austria 4–1, beating Hungary 4–1, losing to Romania 0–5)
1972
Europe zone B, semifinal (beating Greece 5–0, beating Ireland 5–0, losing to Czechoslovakia 2–3)
1973
Europe zone A, semifinal (beating Switzerland 3–0, beating Great Britain 4–1, losing to Czechoslovakia 2–3)
1974
Europe zone A, semifinal (beating Denmark 5–0, beating Spain 3–2, losing to Czechoslovakia 2–3)
1975
Europe zone B, 1st round (beating Switzerland 5–0, losing to Sweden 2–3)
1976
Europe zone B, 1st round (beating Denmark 5–0, losing to the USSR 1–4)
1977
Europe zone B, quarterfinal of the preliminary round (losing to Poland 1–3)
1978
Europe zone A, 1st round (beating Switzerland 5–0, losing to Hungary 2–3)
1979
Europe zone B, 1st round (beating Israel 3–2, losing to Romania 1–4)
1980
Europe zone A, semifinal (beating Norway 4–0, beating Spain 3–2, losing to Sweden 1–4)
Recent performances
Here is the list of all match-ups since 1981, when the competition started being held in the World Group format.