World War II and Post War Years: 1940-1949

End of 1939 to 1945
No Davis Cup competition, because of World War II. As a result John Hunt was killed in a training flight and Henner Henkel died at Starlingrad. Jean Borotra was appointed Minister for Sport, but was later imprisoned by the Nazis.

Kooyong, Melbourne in 2002

By November 1945, Dwight Davis was a dying man, so by the end of the war fortunately for Davis, the competition was about to begin again. Dame Mabel, Sir Norman Brookes' wife remembers Davis telling her husband: "Don't keep the Cup too long, Norman. It is meant to travel. Its appearance in any country brings flocks of exterior implications very beneficial to the sporting unity in the tennis world and the tennis world is a big world. If I had known of its coming significance, it would have been cast in gold." Davis's broader vision was to remain unfulfilled for the next 28 years, as throughout that period, Australia and the USA contested every final.

Australia versus USA in 1945: The toss-up for the doubles at Kooyong [l to r] Adrian Quist, Ted Schroeder, Jack Kramer and John Bromwich

1946
When Walter Pate's American team won through to the Challenge Round they became the first to fly to Australia. France and Britain met in the first round, in Paris. Yugoslavia beat France in the inter-zone final, but it was close with every rubber going to five sets. Sweden then beat Yugoslavia, who then lost to Jack Kramer and the Americans who flew down to Kooyong for the final.

Kramer won the support of Bill Talbert, Tom Brown, and Gardner Mulloy on the insistence that Ted Schroeder should be selected. Schroeder justified selection by beating John Bromwich 6-3 in the fifth and when Kramer defeated Dinny Pails in straight sets, the tie was almost won. Kramer and Schroeder paired and beat Bromwich and Adrian Quist in straight sets. The Cup was on its way to America again.

1947
Jaroslav Drobny made his first appearance for Czechoslovakia, who were to be a force in Davis Cup competition for a further three years, until his defection to Egypt in 1949.

United States Tennis Association officials and players before the Challenge Round of 1947 at Forest Hills [l to r] USTA executive Julian Myrich, Don McNeil, Davis Cup captain Alrick Man, Tom Brown, Gardnar Mulloy, Bill Trabert, Ted Schroeder and Jack Kramer

The Challenge Round was played at Forrest Hills, and was dominated by Kramer and Schroeder, as they kept the Cup for America 4-1. It was noticeably that Schroeder tried just about everything to beat Pails, first of all playing in his socks, then bare feet, then in spikes on the slippery courts.

1948
Two players made their mark on their debuts for Denmark against Egypt in Copenhagen. Kurt Nielson, who would go on to reach two Wimbledon finals unseeded and Torben Ulrich, who would later, at the age of 40, play his best tennis on the World Professional Tennis tour. Hans Redl, who played for Austria in 1937, then Germany two years later, made a remarkable reappearance. Having lost an arm during the war, he played tennis for Austria again between 1948 and 1955.

Once again America proved too strong for Australia, in the Challenge Round, who, were without the services of Kramer, who had turned professional and won 5-0. Australia at this time were having problems finding new players, but Harry Hopman was starting his assembly line.

Kurt Nielson made an impression on Cup tennis in 1948

1949
Italy beat France in a thrilling encounter, but Frank Sedgman and Australia defeated the French in New York and won through to another Challenge Round.

Sedgman was a mere 20-year-old and the Americans boasted an outstanding athlete by the name of Pancho Gonzales, who would mesmerise the expectant crowd and keep the Cup in America, winning as they did 4-1. Gonzales then went professional and was lost to the Kramer tour until the advent of Open tennis in 1969.

Next: The Harry Hopman era: 1950-1959