Federation Cup
Current season, competition or edition: 1963 Federation Cup | |
| Sport | Tennis |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1963 |
| Countries | ITF member nations |
| Most recent champion(s) |
 Australia (1st title) |
| Most titles | Australia (1 title) |
The Federation Cup is a team tennis tournament that is only played by women. Its currently run by the International Tennis Federation.
History[edit | edit source]
In 1919, Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman had an idea for a women's team tennis competition. This was not adopted but she persisted, presenting a trophy at the 1923 annual contest between the United States and Great Britain, named the Wightman Cup.
Nell Hopman, wife of the legendary Australian Davis Cup Captain Harry Hopman, later took up Mrs Wightman's original idea. In 1962, a British resident of the United States, Mary Hardwick Hare, presented a dossier proving that support for such an event was overwhelming, persuading the ITF that it was a 'good idea' to have a team championship played over one week in a different venue each year. 40 years after Wightman's idea of a women's Davis Cup, it became a reality. In 1963, the ITF launched the Federation Cup to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Open to all nations the competition became a resounding success.
Champions[edit | edit source]
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Finals Venue (surface)[1] | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Australia (1) |
2–1 |  United States (1) |
Queen's Club (G) | London, United Kingdom |
External links[edit | edit source]
- ↑ (G) - Grass, (C) - Clay, (H) - Hard, (Cp) - Carpet, (Ix) - Indoor
