# 1921 International Lawn Tennis Challenge

The 1921 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 16th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. In the playoff finals, newcomers Japan surprised Australasia 4–1, but would fall to defending champions the United States in the Challenge Round. The final was played 2–5 September at the West Side Tennis Club in New York City.

## Teams

The tournament saw a boom in entries, with a record 12 teams entering to challenge for the cup. Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, India, Japan, the Philippines, and Spain all entered the tournament for the first time, although Argentina and the Philippines withdrew after the draw.

## Draw

| First round May–July | First round May–July | First round May–July | Quarterfinals 16 July–6 August | Quarterfinals 16 July–6 August | Quarterfinals 16 July–6 August | Semifinals 18–21 August | Semifinals 18–21 August | Semifinals 18–21 August | Final 22–27 August | Final 22–27 August | Final 22–27 August |
| France | France | | | | | | | | | | |
| France | France | | Paris, France (clay) | Paris, France (clay) | Paris, France (clay) | | | | | | |
| bye | bye | | Paris, France (clay) | Paris, France (clay) | Paris, France (clay) | | | | | | |
| bye | bye | | France | France | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | India | India | 4 | | | | | | |
| India | India | | India | India | 4 | | | | | | |
| India | India | | | | | Chicago, Illinois (grass) | Chicago, Illinois (grass) | Chicago, Illinois (grass) | | | |
| bye | bye | | | | | Chicago, Illinois (grass) | Chicago, Illinois (grass) | Chicago, Illinois (grass) | | | |
| bye | bye | | | | | India | India | 0 | | | |
| | | | | | | Japan | Japan | 5 | | | |
| Japan | Japan | w/o | | | | Japan | Japan | 5 | | | |
| Philippines | Philippines | | | | | | | | | | |
| Philippines | Philippines | | Japan | Japan | w/o | | | | | | |
| Prague, Czechoslovakia | Prague, Czechoslovakia | Prague, Czechoslovakia | Japan | Japan | w/o | | | | | | |
| Prague, Czechoslovakia | Prague, Czechoslovakia | Prague, Czechoslovakia | Belgium | Belgium | | | | | | | |
| Czechoslovakia | Czechoslovakia | 2 | Belgium | Belgium | | | | | | | |
| Czechoslovakia | Czechoslovakia | 2 | | | | | | | Newport, Rhode Island (grass) | Newport, Rhode Island (grass) | Newport, Rhode Island (grass) |
| Belgium | Belgium | 3 | | | | | | | Newport, Rhode Island (grass) | Newport, Rhode Island (grass) | Newport, Rhode Island (grass) |
| Belgium | Belgium | 3 | | | | | | | Japan | Japan | 4 |
| Toronto, Ontario (clay) | Toronto, Ontario (clay) | Toronto, Ontario (clay) | | | | | | | Japan | Japan | 4 |
| Toronto, Ontario (clay) | Toronto, Ontario (clay) | Toronto, Ontario (clay) | | | | | | | Australasia | Australasia | 1 |
| Canada | Canada | 0 | | | | | | | Australasia | Australasia | 1 |
| Canada | Canada | 0 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (grass) | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (grass) | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (grass) | | | | | | |
| Australasia | Australasia | 5 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (grass) | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (grass) | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (grass) | | | | | | |
| Australasia | Australasia | 5 | Australasia | Australasia | 3 | | | | | | |
| Hendon, England (clay) | Hendon, England (clay) | Hendon, England (clay) | Australasia | Australasia | 3 | | | | | | |
| Hendon, England (clay) | Hendon, England (clay) | Hendon, England (clay) | Great Britain | Great Britain | 2 | | | | | | |
| Great Britain | Great Britain | 4 | Great Britain | Great Britain | 2 | | | | | | |
| Great Britain | Great Britain | 4 | | | | Cleveland, Ohio (grass) | Cleveland, Ohio (grass) | Cleveland, Ohio (grass) | | | |
| Spain | Spain | 1 | | | | Cleveland, Ohio (grass) | Cleveland, Ohio (grass) | Cleveland, Ohio (grass) | | | |
| Spain | Spain | 1 | | | | Australasia | Australasia | 5 | | | |
| | | | | | | Denmark | 0 | |
| bye | bye | | | | | Denmark | 0 | |
| Argentina | Argentina | | | | | | | | | |
| Argentina | Argentina | | Argentina | Argentina | | | | | | |
| | | | Denmark | Denmark | w/o | | | | | |
| bye | bye | | Denmark | Denmark | w/o | | | | | |
| Denmark | Denmark | | | | | | | | | |

### First round

Czechoslovakia vs. Belgium
| Czechoslovakia 2 | Prague, Czechoslovakia 13–16 June 1921 | Prague, Czechoslovakia 13–16 June 1921 | Belgium 3 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 Karel Ardelt Jean Washer 6 4 5 7 5 7 3 6     2 Ladislav Žemla Albert Lammens 6 2 6 4 6 2       3 Jaroslav Just / Ladislav Žemla Albert Lammens / Jean Washer 6 4 6 3 6 8 4 6 0 6   4 Ladislav Žemla Jean Washer 3 6 6 3 9 7 2 6 6 2   5 Karel Ardelt Albert Lammens 3 6 2 6 6 4 1 6 ||||
Great Britain v Spain
| Great Britain 4 | London Country Club, Hendon, England 23–25 May 1921 Clay | London Country Club, Hendon, England 23–25 May 1921 Clay | Spain 1 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 Gordon Lowe Manuel de Gomar 6 3 4 6 6 1 6 0     2 Randolph Lycett Manuel Alonso Areizaga 6 4 6 2 6 4       3 Max Woosnam / Randolph Lycett Manuel Alonso Areizaga / Manuel de Gomar 2 6 9 7 6 2 6 2     4 Gordon Lowe Manuel Alonso Areizaga 6 8 1 6 6 8       5 Randolph Lycett Manuel de Gomar 6 1 6 8 7 9 6 3 6 2 ||||
Canada vs. Australasia
| Canada 0 | Toronto Lawn Tennis Club, Toronto, Ontario 23–27 July 1921 Clay | Toronto Lawn Tennis Club, Toronto, Ontario 23–27 July 1921 Clay | Australasia 5 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 Henri Laframboise James Anderson 6 4 5 7 0 6 2 6     2 Paul Bennett John Hawkes 6 8 4 6 4 6       3 Paul Bennett / George Holmes James Anderson / Clarence Todd 2 6 3 6 1 6       4 Paul Bennett James Anderson 3 6 0 6 2 6       5 Henri Laframboise Clarence Todd 2 6 2 6 8 6 2 6 ||||

### Quarterfinals

France vs. India
| France 1 | Racing Club de France, Paris, France 16–18 July 1921 Clay | Racing Club de France, Paris, France 16–18 July 1921 Clay | India 4 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 Jean-Pierre Samazeuilh Sydney Jacob 6 3 8 6 7 5       2 William Laurentz Mohammed Sleem 6 4 2 6 6 3 2 6 0 6   3 Jacques Brugnon / William Laurentz Lewis Deane / Athar-Ali Fyzee 1 6 6 2 7 5 2 6 4 6   4 Jean-Pierre Samazeuilh Mohammed Sleem 1 6 3 6 3 6       5 Jacques Brugnon Lewis Deane 3 6 6 4 5 7 6 4 6 8 ||||
Australasia vs. Great Britain
| Australasia 3 | Allegheny County Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 4–6 August 1921 Grass | Allegheny County Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 4–6 August 1921 Grass | Great Britain 2 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 James Anderson Max Woosnam 6 4 6 2 6 4       2 John Hawkes Gordon Lowe 4 6 4 6 1 6       3 James Anderson / Clarence Todd Noel Turnbull / Max Woosnam 4 6 9 7 4 6 6 2 6 4   4 James Anderson Gordon Lowe 6 2 6 3 3 6 6 2     5 John Hawkes Max Woosnam 3 6 6 0 9 7 3 6 3 6 ||||

### Semifinals

India vs. Japan
| India 0 | Lake Forest, Illinois 18–20 August 1921 Grass | Lake Forest, Illinois 18–20 August 1921 Grass | Japan 5 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 Mohammed Sleem Zenzo Shimizu 5 7 6 2 0 6 2 6     2 Hassan Ali Fyzee Ichiya Kumagae 6 3 3 6 3 6 7 9     3 Lewis Deane / Hassan Ali Fyzee Ichiya Kumagae / Zenzo Shimizu 1 6 1 6 6 2 6 2 0 6   4 Hassan Ali Fyzee Zenzo Shimizu 2 6 1 6 7 9       5 Mohammed Sleem Ichiya Kumagae 7 9 1 6 1 6 ||||
Australasia vs. Denmark
| Australasia 5 | Mayfield Country Club, Cleveland, Ohio 19–21 August 1921 Grass | Mayfield Country Club, Cleveland, Ohio 19–21 August 1921 Grass | Denmark 0 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 James Anderson Vagn Ingerslev 6 0 6 1 7 5       2 Norman Peach Erik Tegner 7 5 6 2 6 4       3 James Anderson / Clarence Todd Povl Henriksen / Erik Tegner 6 0 6 2 6 1       4 James Anderson Erik Tegner 6 0 6 2 6 1       5 Norman Peach Vagn Ingerslev 3 6 6 2 6 0 3 6 6 2 ||||

### Final

Japan vs. Australasia
| Japan 4 | Newport Casino, Newport, Rhode Island 22–27 August 1921 Grass | Newport Casino, Newport, Rhode Island 22–27 August 1921 Grass | Australasia 1 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 Zenzo Shimizu James Anderson 6 4 7 5 6 4       2 Ichiya Kumagae John Hawkes 3 6 2 6 8 6 6 2 6 3   3 Ichiya Kumagae / Zenzo Shimizu James Anderson / Clarence Todd 6 4 4 6 6 8 0 6     4 Zenzo Shimizu John Hawkes 4 6 6 2 6 3 6 2     5 Ichiya Kumagae James Anderson 3 6 6 4 2 6 7 5 6 2 ||||

## Challenge Round

United States vs. Japan
| United States 5 | West Side Tennis Club, New York, New York 2–5 September 1921 Grass | West Side Tennis Club, New York, New York 2–5 September 1921 Grass | Japan 0 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 1 Bill Johnston Ichiya Kumagae 6 2 6 4 6 2       2 Bill Tilden Zenzo Shimizu 5 7 4 6 7 5 6 2 6 1   3 Watson Washburn / Richard Norris Williams Ichiya Kumagae / Zenzo Shimizu 6 2 7 5 4 6 7 5     4 Bill Tilden Ichiya Kumagae 9 7 6 4 6 1       5 Bill Johnston Zenzo Shimizu 6 3 5 7 6 2 6 4 ||||