1978 Nations Cup (tennis)

The 1978 Nations Cup, also known by its sponsored name Ambre Solaire Nations Cup, was a men's team tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It was the second edition of the Nations Cup and the event was part of the 1978 Grand Prix circuit. It took place at the Rochusclub in Düsseldorf in West Germany from 8 May through 15 May 1978. Total prize money was £100,000 and in total 36,000 people attended the event.[1] The United States were the defending champions. Spain defeated Australia in the final, watched by a crowd of nearly 7,000, to win the title for the first time and earn the $60,000 first-prize money.[2][3]

1978 Nations Cup
DateMay 8 – 15
Edition2nd
CategoryGrand Prix circuit
Draw8 teams
Prize money£100,000
SurfaceClay / outdoor
LocationDüsseldorf, West Germany
VenueRochusclub
Champions
Spain Spain
← 1975 · Nations Cup · 1979 →

The draw consisted of eight teams divided over two round-robin groups. The two best ranked teams from each group proceeded to the semifinals. Each match consisted of two singles and a doubles.

Players

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Section A

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Section B

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Round robin

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Section A

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Standings

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Pos. Country Points Matches Sets
1   Italy 3–0 6–2 13–9
2   Spain 2–1 5–4 13–10
3   Chile 1–2 4–5 9–13
4   Germany 0–3 3–6 10–13

Spain vs. Germany

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Spain
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Germany
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Manuel Orantes
Jürgen Fassbender
7
5
2
6
6
1
 
2  
 
José Higueras
Uli Pinner
6
3
6
3
   
3  
 
Manuel Orantes / José Higueras
Uli Pinner / Jürgen Fassbender
6
2
5
7
3
6
 

Italy vs. Chile

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Italy
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Chile
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Adriano Panatta
Jaime Fillol
6
3
6
1
   
2  
 
Paolo Bertolucci
Hans Gildemeister
6
3
3
6
5
7
 
3  
 
Adriano Panatta / Paolo Bertolucci
Patricio Cornejo / Jaime Fillol
6
4
6
4
   

Chile vs. Germany

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Chile
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Germany
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Jaime Fillol
Jürgen Fassbender
6
4
1
6
6
3
 
2  
 
Hans Gildemeister
Uli Pinner
4
6
5
7
   
3  
 
Patricio Cornejo / Jaime Fillol
Jürgen Fassbender / Uli Pinner
6
4
7
6
   

Italy vs. Spain

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Italy
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Spain
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Adriano Panatta
Manuel Orantes
7
6
6
7
6
3
 
2  
 
Paolo Bertolucci
José Higueras
2
6
4
6
   
3  
 
Adriano Panatta / Paolo Bertolucci
Manuel Orantes / José Higueras
6
1
6
3
   

Italy vs. Germany

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Italy
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Germany
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Adriano Panatta
Jürgen Fassbender
5
7
4
6
   
2  
 
Paolo Bertolucci
Rolf Gehring
6
4
3
6
6
4
 
3  
 
Adriano Panatta / Paolo Bertolucci
Jürgen Fassbender / Rolf Gehring
6
7
7
6
7
6
 

Spain vs. Chile

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Spain
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Chile
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Manuel Orantes
Jaime Fillol
6
2
6
4
   
2  
 
José Higueras
Hans Gildemeister
6
4
2
6
7
5
 
3  
 
Manuel Orantes / José Higueras
Jaime Fillol / Patricio Cornejo
6
4
6
7
2
6
 

Section B

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Standings

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Pos. Country Points Matches Sets
1   United States 3–0 6–3 14–6
2   Australia 2–1 5–4 10–10
3   Great Britain 1–2 4–5 10–11
4   Poland 0–3 3–6 7–14

USA vs. Australia

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United States
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Australia
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Roscoe Tanner
Phil Dent
6
2
7
6
   
2  
 
Harold Solomon
John Newcombe
6
4
6
4
   
3  
 
Roscoe Tanner / Bob Lutz
Phil Dent / John Newcombe
3
6
6
3
3
6
 

Great Britain vs. Poland

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Great Britain
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Poland
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Buster Mottram
Wojciech Fibak
6
3
2
6
6
7
 
2  
 
John Lloyd
Tadeusz Nowicki
6
2
6
2
   
3  
 
John Lloyd / Buster Mottram
Wojciech Fibak / Tadeusz Nowicki
2
6
6
2
7
6
 

USA vs. Poland

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United States
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Poland
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Roscoe Tanner
Wojciech Fibak
6
2
6
4
   
2  
 
Harold Solomon
Tadeusz Nowicki
6
2
6
2
   
3  
 
Roscoe Tanner / Bob Lutz
Wojciech Fibak / Tadeusz Nowicki
6
7
6
0
3
6
 

Australia vs. Great Britain

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Australia
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Great Britain
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Phil Dent
Buster Mottram
6
2
7
6
   
2  
 
John Newcombe
John Lloyd
6
7
2
6
   
3  
 
Phil Dent / John Newcombe
John Lloyd / Buster Mottram
2
6
6
3
7
5
 

USA vs. Great Britain

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United States
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Great Britain
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Roscoe Tanner
Buster Mottram
4
6
6
7
   
2  
 
Harold Solomon
John Lloyd
6
3
6
0
   
3  
 
Roscoe Tanner / Bob Lutz
John Lloyd / Buster Mottram
6
3
7
5
   

Australia vs. Poland

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Australia
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Poland
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Phil Dent
Wojciech Fibak
0
6
1
6
   
2  
 
John Newcombe
Tadeusz Nowicki
7
5
6
1
   
3  
 
Phil Dent / John Newcombe
Wojciech Fibak / Tadeusz Nowicki
6
2
6
2
   

Semifinal

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Australia vs. Italy

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Australia
3
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
Italy
0
1 2 3
1  
 
Phil Dent
Adriano Panatta
7
6
5
4
   
2  
 
John Newcombe
Paolo Bertolucci
6
3
6
2
   
3  
 
John Newcombe / Phil Dent
Paolo Bertolucci / Antonio Zugarelli
7
6
5
3
   

Spain vs. USA

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Spain
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
May 1978
Clay
 
United States
1
1 2 3
1  
 
Manuel Orantes
Roscoe Tanner
6
4
7
6
   
2  
 
José Higueras
Harold Solomon
6
2
6
2
   
3  
 
Manuel Orantes / José Higueras
Harold Solomon / Bob Lutz
6
2
4
6
5
7
 

Final

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Spain vs. Australia

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Spain
2
Düsseldorf, Germany
16 May 1978
Clay
 
Australia
1
1 2 3
1  
 
José Higueras
John Newcombe
6
2
6
3
   
2  
 
Manuel Orantes
Phil Dent
6
3
6
4
   
3  
 
Manuel Orantes / José Higueras
John Newcombe / Phil Dent
6
7
4
6
   

See also

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References

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  1. ^ John Barrett, ed. (1979). World of Tennis 1979 : a BP yearbook. London: Macdonald and Jane's. pp. 217–217. ISBN 978-0354090681.
  2. ^ "Spanish Players Claim First". Herald-Journal. AP. May 16, 1978. p. A7.
  3. ^ "Results – Other Events – Ambre Solaire Nations Cup". Tennis – Incorporating Lawn Tennis Magazine. 3 (6): 75. July 1978.