It was 50 years ago on June 20, 1963 that the Fed Cup was awarded for the first time.
As seen in the new THIS DAY IN TENNIS mobile app (www.TennisHistoryApp.com), the United States won the inaugural staging of the international team competition for women– then dubbed by its longer name, the Federation Cup, by claiming a 2-1 win over Australia at Queen’s Club in London. The Federation Cup, the women’s equivalent of the Davis Cup that started 1900, was founded as a part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the International Tennis Federation. Billie Jean King, then known by her maiden name Billie Jean Moffitt, paired with Darlene Hard clinch the title for the United States in the decisive doubles match in the best-of-three match series, defeating Margaret Court, then known by her maiden name Margaret Smith and Lesley Turner 3-6, 13-11, 6-3.
Hall of Fame tennis journalist and personality Bud Collins discusses the Fed Cup – and its curious naming – in his volume THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS, available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257707?tag=tennisgrancom-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0942257707&adid=1Q446RE4XRBX0SYN215X&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennisgrandstand.com%2F Bud’s summary and take on the “Fed Cup” from the book is excerpted below.
It was a splendid idea with a lame name—twice. That’s the Federation/Fed Cup, the world team competition for women—a la the Davis Cup that has been running in a variety of formats since 1963. It was best-of-three matches until 1996, then best-of-five (like Davis Cup, except curiously playing the doubles last, usually meaningless). The International Tennis Federation, the proprietor, named the Cup unimaginatively for itself. Plenty of excellent names such as Suzanne Lenglen, Helen Wills, Alice Marble were available. In 1995, a name change was advised, and—eek!—it was shortened to Fed. Wonder how much that consultation cost. King or Court Cup (for Billie Jean King or Margaret Court), stars of the event, would have been just fine.
The idea for a female team competition, complementing the Davis Cup, sprang from “Lady Tennis,” American Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman, an all-time champion, who provided a Cup. But in the 1920s, there wasn’t enough broad interest. Thus the Wightman Cup became a prize for a U.S.-Great Britain rivalry, launched in 1923 at Forest Hills and lasting through 1989 when the Brits ran out of talent.
Australian Nell Hopman (wife of her country’s Davis Cup captain, Harry Hopman) and Englishwoman Mary Hardwick Hare, a former Wightman player, successfully lobbied the ITF on behalf of the widening women’s game for a world-wide team tournament, realized in the Fed Cup. Sixteen countries entered at the 1963 start, the U.S. defeating Australia, 2-1 at Queen’s Club, London, the final indoors because of rain.
Court, leading Australia to four Cups, had a 20-0 singles record. King played for six Cup winners, posting a 26-3 singles record; 26-1 in doubles. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez carried Spain to 10 finals, winning five Cups. Arantxa tops the chart, playing 100 matches: 50-22 singles, 22-6 doubles. Conchita was right behind her, 47-18 and 21-5—and they were 18-3 together in doubles. Martina Navratilova is the only Cup winner for two different countries: Czechoslovakia in 1975 (prior to her defection that year), and the U.S. in 1982, 86, 89, and was perfect, 20-0 singles, 16-0 doubles. What about her name on the Cup?
