1981 Davis Cup

Format changes

The 1981 tournament marked the introduction of the 16-team World Group and a move to a tiered system including promotion and relegation. The original 16 teams to compete were chosen through the previous year's results, with teams that reached the Zonal semifinals chosen to compete in the inaugural bracket. Teams which lost in the World Group first round would now compete against each other in the World Group Relegation Play-off, with the four losers relegated to their respective Zonal competition the following year. The four winners of the Zonal competitions would now earn promotion into the following year's World Group to replace the relegated teams.

The 16 qualifying teams for the first World Group were: from the 1980 Americas Zone, the North & Central America Zone finalists the United States and Mexico, and the South America Zone finalists Argentina and Brazil; the 1980 Eastern Zone semifinalists Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea; and the semifinalists from the two Europe Zones Czechoslovakia, Great Britain, France, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and West Germany.

This year also marked the first year of commercial sponsorship, when Japanese electronics company NEC became the tournament's first Title Sponsor, a partnership that lasted 21 years in total. NEC's partnership also enabled prize money to be given for the first time, with the World Group team competing for a total of US$1 million.

World Group

Main article: 1981 Davis Cup World Group

Draw

| RD1-date=6–8 March | RD2-date=9–12 July | RD3-date=2–4 October | RD4-date=11–13 December

| RD1T1-loc=Munich, West Germany (indoor carpet) | RD1-seed1= | RD1-team1= | RD1-score1=2 | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2= | RD1-score2=3

| RD1T2-loc=Timișoara, Romania (indoor hard) | RD1-seed3= | RD1-team3= | RD1-score3=3 | RD1-seed4= | RD1-team4= | RD1-score4=2

| RD1T3-loc=Brighton, United Kingdom (indoor carpet) | RD1-seed5= | RD1-team5= | RD1-score5=3 | RD1-seed6= | RD1-team6= | RD1-score6=2

| RD1T4-loc=Seoul, South Korea (clay) | RD1-seed7= | RD1-team7= | RD1-score7=0 | RD1-seed8= | RD1-team8= | RD1-score8=5

| RD1T5-loc=Yokohama, Japan (indoor carpet) | RD1-seed9= | RD1-team9= | RD1-score9=0 | RD1-seed10= | RD1-team10= | RD1-score10=5

| RD1T6-loc=Lyon, France (indoor carpet) | RD1-seed11= | RD1-team11= | RD1-score11=2 | RD1-seed12= | RD1-team12= | RD1-score12=3

| RD1T7-loc=Zürich, Switzerland (indoor hard) | RD1-seed13= | RD1-team13= | RD1-score13=2 | RD1-seed14= | RD1-team14= | RD1-score14=3

| RD1T8-loc=Carlsbad, CA, United States (hard) | RD1-seed15= | RD1-team15= | RD1-score15=3 | RD1-seed16= | RD1-team16= | RD1-score16=2

| RD2T1-loc=Timișoara, Romania (hard) | RD2-seed1= | RD2-team1= | RD2-score1=3 | RD2-seed2= | RD2-team2= | RD2-score2=2

| RD2T2-loc=Christchurch, New Zealand (carpet) | RD2-seed3= | RD2-team3= | RD2-score3=4 | RD2-seed4= | RD2-team4= | RD2-score4=1

| RD2T3-loc=Båstad, Sweden (clay) | RD2-seed5= | RD2-team5= | RD2-score5=1 | RD2-seed6= | RD2-team6= | RD2-score6=3

| RD2T4-loc=New York City, United States (hard) | RD2-seed7= | RD2-team7= | RD2-score7=1 | RD2-seed8= | RD2-team8= | RD2-score8=4

| RD3T1-loc=Buenos Aires, Argentina (clay) | RD3-seed1= | RD3-team1= | RD3-score1=5 | RD3-seed2= | RD3-team2= | RD3-score2=0

| RD3T2-loc=Portland, OR, United States (indoor carpet) | RD3-seed3= | RD3-team3= | RD3-score3=0 | RD3-seed4= | RD3-team4= | RD3-score4=5

| RD4T1-loc=Cincinnati, OH, United States (indoor carpet) | RD4-seed1= | RD4-team1= | RD4-score1=1 | RD4-seed2= | RD4-team2= | RD4-score2=3

Final

United States vs. Argentina

Relegation play-offs

Date: 2–4 October

• , , and remain in the World Group in 1982.
• , , and are relegated to Zonal competition in 1982.

Americas Zone

Main article: 1981 Davis Cup Americas Zone

| RD1-date=9–11 January | RD2-date=13–15 February | RD3-date=6–8 March | RD1-name=Sub-Zonal Semifinals | RD2-name=Sub-Zonal Finals | RD3-name=Inter-Zonal Final

| RD1T1-loc=Bogotá, Colombia (clay) | RD1-seed1= | RD1-team1= | RD1-score1=3 | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2= | RD1-score2=2

| RD1T2-loc=Caracas, Venezuela (hard) | RD1-seed3= | RD1-team3= | RD1-score3=4 | RD1-seed4= | RD1-team4= | RD1-score4=1

| RD1T3-loc=Lima, Peru (clay) | RD1-seed5= | RD1-team5= | RD1-score5=1 | RD1-seed6= | RD1-team6= | RD1-score6=4

| RD1T4-loc=Guayaquil, Ecuador (clay) | RD1-seed7= | RD1-team7= | RD1-score7=2 | RD1-seed8= | RD1-team8= | RD1-score8=3

| RD2T1-loc=Bogotá, Colombia (clay) | RD2-seed1= | RD2-team1= | RD2-score1=5 | RD2-seed2= | RD2-team2= | RD2-score2=0

| RD2T2-loc=Santiago, Chile (clay) | RD2-seed3= | RD2-team3= | RD2-score3=5 | RD2-seed4= | RD2-team4= | RD2-score4=0

| RD3T1-loc=Bogotá, Colombia (indoor clay) | RD3-seed1= | RD3-team1= | RD3-score1=2 | RD3-seed2= | RD3-team2= | RD3-score2=3

• are promoted to the World Group in 1982.

Eastern Zone

Main article: 1981 Davis Cup Eastern Zone

| RD1-date=9–11 January | RD2-date=13–15 February | RD3-date=6–8 March

| RD1T1-loc= | RD1-seed1= | RD1-team1= | RD1-score1= | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2=bye | RD1-score2=

| RD1T2-loc=Bangkok, Thailand (hard) | RD1-seed3= | RD1-team3= | RD1-score3=0 | RD1-seed4= | RD1-team4= | RD1-score4=5

| RD1T3-loc=Taipei, Taiwan (indoor hard) | RD1-seed5= | RD1-team5= | RD1-score5=4 | RD1-seed6= | RD1-team6= | RD1-score6=1

| RD1T4-loc= | RD1-seed7= | RD1-team7=bye | RD1-score7= | RD1-seed8= | RD1-team8= | RD1-score8=

| RD2T1-loc=Bangkok, Thailand (hard) | RD2-seed1= | RD2-team1= | RD2-score1=5 | RD2-seed2= | RD2-team2= | RD2-score2=0

| RD2T2-loc=Jakarta, Indonesia (clay) | RD2-seed3= | RD2-team3= | RD2-score3=3 | RD2-seed4= | RD2-team4= | RD2-score4=0

| RD3T1-loc=Jakarta, Indonesia (clay) | RD3-seed1= | RD3-team1= | RD3-score1=3 | RD3-seed2= | RD3-team2= | RD3-score2=2

• are promoted to the World Group in 1982.

Europe Zone

Main article: 1981 Davis Cup Europe Zone

Zone A

| RD1-date=8–10 May | RD2-date=10–14 June | RD3-date=9–11 July | RD4-date=25–27 September

| RD1T1-loc= | RD1-seed1= | RD1-team1= | RD1-score1= | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2=bye | RD1-score2=

| RD1T2-loc= | RD1-seed3= | RD1-team3= | RD1-score3= | RD1-seed4= | RD1-team4= | RD1-score4=w/o

| RD1T3-loc= | RD1-seed5= | RD1-team5= | RD1-score5= | RD1-seed6= | RD1-team6=bye | RD1-score6=

| RD1T4-loc=Monte Carlo, Monaco (clay) | RD1-seed7= | RD1-team7= | RD1-score7=1 | RD1-seed8= | RD1-team8= | RD1-score8=3

| RD1T5-loc= | RD1-seed9= | RD1-team9= | RD1-score9= | RD1-seed10= | RD1-team10=bye | RD1-score10=

| RD1T6-loc=Cairo, Egypt (clay) | RD1-seed11= | RD1-team11= | RD1-score11=5 | RD1-seed12= | RD1-team12= | RD1-score12=0

| RD1T7-loc= | RD1-seed13= | RD1-team13= | RD1-score13= | RD1-seed14= | RD1-team14=bye | RD1-score14=

| RD1T8-loc= | RD1-seed15= | RD1-team15=bye | RD1-score15= | RD1-seed16= | RD1-team16= | RD1-score16=

| RD2T1-loc=Algiers, Algeria (clay) | RD2-seed1= | RD2-team1= | RD2-score1=5 | RD2-seed2= | RD2-team2= | RD2-score2=0

| RD2T2-loc=Monte Carlo, Monaco (clay) | RD2-seed3= | RD2-team3= | RD2-score3=2 | RD2-seed4= | RD2-team4= | RD2-score4=3

| RD2T3-loc=Cairo, Egypt (clay) | RD2-seed5= | RD2-team5= | RD2-score5=4 | RD2-seed6= | RD2-team6= | RD2-score6=1

| RD2T4-loc=Skopje, Yugoslavia (clay) | RD2-seed7= | RD2-team7= | RD2-score7=1 | RD2-seed8= | RD2-team8= | RD2-score8=4

| RD3T1-loc=Lleida, Spain (clay) | RD3-seed1= | RD3-team1= | RD3-score1=5 | RD3-seed2= | RD3-team2= | RD3-score2=0

| RD3T2-loc=Ramat HaSharon, Israel (hard) | RD3-seed3= | RD3-team3= | RD3-score3=3 | RD3-seed4= | RD3-team4= | RD3-score4=2

| RD4T1-loc=Avilés, Spain (clay) | RD4-seed1= | RD4-team1= | RD4-score1=3 | RD4-seed2= | RD4-team2= | RD4-score2=2

• are promoted to the World Group in 1982.

Zone B

| RD1-date=8–10 May | RD2-date=12–14 June | RD3-date=9–11 July | RD4-date=25–27 September

| RD1T1-loc= | RD1-seed1= | RD1-team1= | RD1-score1= | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2=bye | RD1-score2=

| RD1T2-loc=Aarhus, Denmark (clay) | RD1-seed3= | RD1-team3= | RD1-score3=5 | RD1-seed4= | RD1-team4= | RD1-score4=0

| RD1T3-loc= | RD1-seed5= | RD1-team5= | RD1-score5= | RD1-seed6= | RD1-team6=bye | RD1-score6=

| RD1T4-loc= | RD1-seed7= | RD1-team7= | RD1-score7=w/o | RD1-seed8= | RD1-team8= | RD1-score8=

| RD1T5-loc= | RD1-seed9= | RD1-team9= | RD1-score9= | RD1-seed10= | RD1-team10=bye | RD1-score10=

| RD1T6-loc=Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg (clay) | RD1-seed11= | RD1-team11= | RD1-score11=0 | RD1-seed12= | RD1-team12= | RD1-score12=5

| RD1T7-loc= | RD1-seed13= | RD1-team13= | RD1-score13= | RD1-seed14= | RD1-team14=bye | RD1-score14=

| RD1T8-loc=Oslo, Norway (clay) | RD1-seed15= | RD1-team15= | RD1-score15=2 | RD1-seed16= | RD1-team16= | RD1-score16=3

| RD2T1-loc=Salzburg, Austria (clay) | RD2-seed1= | RD2-team1= | RD2-score1=3 | RD2-seed2= | RD2-team2= | RD2-score2=2

| RD2T2-loc=Jūrmala, Soviet Union (clay) | RD2-seed3= | RD2-team3= | RD2-score3=4 | RD2-seed4= | RD2-team4= | RD2-score4=1

| RD2T3-loc=Helsinki, Finland (clay) | RD2-seed5= | RD2-team5= | RD2-score5=3 | RD2-seed6= | RD2-team6= | RD2-score6=2

| RD2T4-loc=Eindhoven, Netherlands (clay) | RD2-seed7= | RD2-team7= | RD2-score7=4 | RD2-seed8= | RD2-team8= | RD2-score8=1

| RD3T1-loc=Pörtschach, Austria (clay) | RD3-seed1= | RD3-team1= | RD3-score1=0 | RD3-seed2= | RD3-team2= | RD3-score2=4

| RD3T2-loc=Helsinki, Finland (clay) | RD3-seed3= | RD3-team3= | RD3-score3=0 | RD3-seed4= | RD3-team4= | RD3-score4=5

| RD4T1-loc=Jūrmala, Soviet Union (clay) | RD4-seed1= | RD4-team1= | RD4-score1=5 | RD4-seed2= | RD4-team2= | RD4-score2=0

• are promoted to the World Group in 1982.

References

;General

;Specific

References

1. Bud Collins. (2010). "The Bud Collins History of Tennis". New Chapter Press.
2. "ITF Events - Davis Cup". [[International Tennis Federation]].
3. "Davis Cup History".
4. (2 March 1981). "The new-look 1981 Davis Cup tennis competition gets under...".
5. "United States v Argentina". daviscup.com.