Tennis Forum banner
Cancel

Why was the Wightman Cup discontinued?

803 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Sam L, 
Sam L
Well I'm guessing it had something to do with the USA winning like the last 11 times right? <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

But I'm wondering why they didn't tranform it?

Like I know that in Golf, with the Ryder Cup, they changed it from USA vs. Great Britain to USA vs. Europe. I don't know the reasons, maybe some Golf fans might know?

So likewise the Wightman Cup in 1989 could have changed to USA vs. Europe to make it more competitive.

I think it would have and would still make very interesting competition, if they made that change. What do u think?
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
VSFan1 aka Joshua L.
I've heard of this before but thought it was a golf event. Was Wightman Cup USA vs. England and was it men or women?

Thank! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

PS - I think it should be brought back just for entertainment sakes.
Reply
Save
Like
A
The Wightman Cup was originally a competition between the USA and Great Britain. It was for women. I think the organizers saw very little need for it anymore. If people wanted to watch team competitions, they'd watch Fed Cup. The US is clearly the strongest tennis nation, with no clear equal. The original idea was to watch the two most powerful tennis nations duke it out. The US grew in stature, while the Brits floundered. So I guess there was little point to staging the Wightman Cup anymore.
Reply
Save
Like
TheBoiledEgg
It was getting a bit pointless towards the end with the best GB players playing against College Players and Juniors.
Reply
Save
Like
A
Did the GB players beat them? <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
Reply
Save
Like
TheBoiledEgg
They won some and lost some

Capriati did bt a Clare Wood 6-0 6-0 in 1989
Reply
Save
Like
R
When the cup was introduced in 1923 by Hazel Wightman, her vision was a female Davis Cup. Unfortunately, in those days few nations wanted to send women to other nations because of the costs and male chauvasnism. It was hoped that France would join, with its great champion Suzanne Lenglen, but only Great Britain took up the US challenge. One year in England, every other year in the US.

The Wightman Cup really helped international womens tennis here in the US, as the long boat trips were paid for and the British women also competed in the US Nationals(todays Open). In those days the US title counted for a lot less than Wimbledon. In years when the Wightman Cup wasn't held in the US perhaps only 3 or 4 "foreign" women came.

The Cup became pointless after the Fed Cup was introduced in 1963. The British were no longer the #2 female tennis nation. Margaret Court and Maria Bueno were the first non-American or English #1s in decades, and womens tennis was popular enough to have it's own Davis Cup. Tradition, British pride, and the odd win by Britain kept it going, but after Virginia Wade the English haven't had a top ten female. By 1989 Britain didn't even have a world class woman and died a merciful death, having lived past it's time. Thanks to the Wightman Cup the ladies got what Hazel dreamed of in the first place, a female Davis Cup. It just took 40 years for the dream to be realized <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
M
Um we had a top 10 player in the 1980['s with Jo Durie did u not hear about her?
Reply
Save
Like
R
I stand corrected Monica Rules <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> I saw "Jo" at the Wightman Cup in the one year she was a top tenner-1983. But that was her only year there, as injuries and age did her in. Durie had a good serve and and game, and was within a few points of<br />making the french final that year.

Sue Barker was good too, but after those 2, Britain has had a hard time putting a girl in the top 100, let alone the top 10. I'm afriaf my all time fav Virginia Wade will remain the last great Brit for some time.
Reply
Save
Like
R
I stand corrected Monica Rules <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> I saw "Jo" at the Wightman Cup in the one year she was a top tenner-1983. But that was her only year there, as injuries and age did her in. Durie had a good serve and and game, and was within a few points of<br />making the french final that year.

Sue Barker was good too, but after those 2, Britain has had a hard time putting a girl in the top 100, let alone the top 10. I'm afriaf my all time fav Virginia Wade will remain the last great Brit for some time.
Reply
Save
Like
VSFan1 aka Joshua L.
Very interesting. I think the competition should be continued and could be a precursor to Hopman Cup as it could be a mixed event at the end of the year with USA vs. The World

Singles:<br />Jennifer Capriati vs. Martina Hingis<br />Lindsay Davenport vs. Kim Clijsters<br />Venus Williams vs. Justine Henin

Pete Sampras vs. Lleyton Hewitt<br />Andre Agassi vs. Marat Safin<br />Andy Roddick vs. Yvgeny Kafelnikova

Doubles:<br />Venus/Serena Williams vs. Leander Paes/Mahesh Bhupati<br />Serena Williams/James Blake vs. Lleyton Hewitt/Kim Clijsters

It would be cool! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
Reply
Save
Like
Sam L
That's what I was thinking Joshua, it will make pretty exciting competition <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Tennis Forum
A forum community dedicated to Tennis players and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about players, gear, matches, scores, guidelines, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Messages ITF World Tennis Tour The Siberian Siren Serena Slam Sprechen Sie Deuce?
Top