Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Germany Davis Cup team

Germany / West Germany
CaptainMichael Kohlmann
ITF ranking5 (25 November 2024)
Colorswhite & black
First year1913
Years played88
Ties played (W–L)246 (160–86)
Years in
World Group
40 (49–38)
Davis Cup titles3 (1988, 1989, 1993)
Runners-up2 (1970, 1985)
Most total winsGottfried von Cramm (82–19)
Most singles winsGottfried von Cramm (58–10)
Most doubles winsGottfried von Cramm (24–9)
Best doubles teamKevin Krawietz /
Tim Pütz (13–1),
Jürgen Fassbender /
Hans-Jürgen Pohmann (13–3)
Most ties playedWilhelm Bungert (43)
Most years playedWilhelm Bungert (14)

The Germany Davis Cup team represents Germany in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the German Tennis Federation. As East Germany never participated in the Davis Cup, and the Deutscher Tennisbund remained the same organization throughout the century, the West German Davis Cup team is included in this article.

Germany has won the Davis Cup three times (1988, 1989, 1993) and finished as runners-up twice (1970, 1985).

Current team

Players representing Germany at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals knockout stage
Player Age Win–loss total First
year
Ties Ranking
Sgl Dbl Total Sgl Dbl
Jan-Lennard Struff 34 15–10 4–0 19–10 2015 22 43 126
Daniel Altmaier 26 2–2 0–0 2–2 2023 4 88 562
Yannick Hanfmann 33 3–1 0–0 3–1 2017 4 95 84
Kevin Krawietz 32 0–1 16–1 16–2 2019 17 7
Tim Pütz 37 0–0 18–1 18–1 2017 19 10

Statistics correct as of 20 November 2024.

History

Germany competed in its first Davis Cup in 1913. Since then they have reached five finals.

First final participation in 1970

In 1970, Germany reached the Davis Cup final for the first time. Having defeated Denmark, Egypt, Belgium and the Soviet Union in the European zone they played India and Spain in the so-called interzonal zone, beating both teams. In the final Wilhelm Bungert and Christian Kuhnke played Arthur Ashe and Cliff Richey in singles, and Bob Lutz/Stan Smith in doubles. The German players lost all five matches, all but one in three sets.

Second final participation in 1985

Fifteen years later Germany reached the Davis Cup final for the second time. After close successes against Spain and the United States and a clear victory against Czechoslovakia in the World Group Germany played Sweden at home in Munich. Germany played with Boris Becker and Michael Westphal in the singles and with Becker/Andreas Maurer in the double. After the fourth rubber against Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg in the singles and Wilander/Joakim Nyström in the double the standings were 2–2. In the decisive fifth rubber Westphal lost to Stefan Edberg in four sets.

First Davis Cup title in 1988

Only three years later Germany reached the Davis Cup final for the third time. After three 5–0 whitewashes against Brazil, Denmark and Yugoslavia Germany once again met Sweden. Now it was Sweden's turn to lose at home. Germany secured its triumph in the third match, the double. Carl-Uwe Steeb and Boris Becker had defeated Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg, respectively, before the German double consisting of Becker and Eric Jelen defeated Edberg and Anders Järryd in five sets. The fourth match which was shortened to best of three was won by Edberg before Sweden let Germany get its fourth point by a walkover.

Second Davis Cup title in 1989

Germany defeated Indonesia, Czechoslovakia and the United States on the way to their second consecutive final and the final once again was Germany against Sweden. This time the final took place in Stuttgart. Mats Wilander achieved the 1–0 lead for Sweden by defeating Carl-Uwe Steeb in five sets before Boris Becker levelled the standings in a three-set victory against Stefan Edberg. Becker and Eric Jelen defeated the Sweden double of Jan Gunnarsson and Anders Järryd in five sets before Becker secured the second consecutive German Davis Cup title by defeating Mats Wilander in three sets.[4]

Third Davis Cup title in 1993

It took Germany four years to reach the Davis Cup final for the fifth time, and they did so by beating Russia, the Czech Republic and – once again – Sweden. In the final against Australia that took place in Düsseldorf, Germany, Michael Stich defeated Jason Stoltenberg in five sets to mark the first point for Germany. In the second Friday single, Marc-Kevin Goellner lost to Richard Fromberg with a result of 7–9 in the fifth set. Stich and Patrik Kühnen defeated their Australian counterparts Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde in the double, marking the 2–1 for Germany. In the fourth rubber, Michael Stich clearly defeated Richard Fromberg in three sets before Goellner defeated Stoltenberg in the tie-break of the third and last set.

Results

Results until 1980

Germany (1900–1960)

West Germany (1960–1980)

Recent performances

Here is the list of all match-ups since 1981, when the competition started being held in the World Group format.

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s


Year
Competition Date Location Opponent Score Result
2020 Qualifying round 6–7 March Düsseldorf (GER)  Belarus 4–1 Win
2021 Finals, Group F 27 November Innsbruck (AUT)  Serbia [6] 2–1 Win
28 November  Austria 2–1 Win
Finals, Quarterfinals 30 November  Great Britain 2–1 Win
Finals, Semifinals 4 December Madrid (ESP)  Russia 1–2 Loss
2022 Qualifying round 4–5 March Rio de Janeiro (BRA)  Brazil 3–1 Win
Finals, Group C 14 September Hamburg (GER)  France 2–1 Win
16 September  Belgium 2–1 Win
18 September  Australia 2–1 Win
Finals, Quarterfinals 24 November Málaga (ESP)  Canada 1–2 Loss
2023 Qualifying round 3–4 February Trier (GER)   Switzerland 2–3 Loss
World Group I 16–17 September Mostar (BIH)  Bosnia and Herzegovina 4–0 Win
2024 Qualifying round 2–3 February Tatabánya (HUN)  Hungary 3–2 Win
Finals, Group C 10 September Zhuhai (CHN)  Slovakia 3–0 Win
12 September  Chile 3–0 Win
14 September  United States 1–2 Loss
Finals, Quarterfinals 20 November Málaga (ESP)  Canada 2–0 Win
Finals, Semifinals 22 November  Netherlands 0–2 Loss
2025 Qualifiers first round 1–2 February TBA (ISR)  Israel

Team captains

from 1985 on

Statistics

Player records

Most total wins overall
# Player Years Win–loss Win % Ties
played
Years
played
Singles Doubles Total
1 Gottfried von Cramm 1932–1953 58–10 24–9 82–19 81% 37 9
2 Wilhelm Bungert 1958–1971 52–27 14–9 66–36 65% 43 14
3 Boris Becker 1985–1999 38–30 16–9 54–12 82% 28 12
4 Christian Kuhnke 1960–1972 35–15 16–8 51–23 69% 32 10
5 Henner Henkel 1935–1939 33–13 16–4 49–17 74% 27 5
6 Ingo Buding 1961–1970 26–11 10–5 36–16 69% 26 9
7 Michael Stich 1990–1996 21–90 14–2 35–11 76% 17 7
8 Philipp Kohlschreiber 2007–2020 20–14 04–3 24–17 59% 23 13
9 Tommy Haas 1998–2014 19–70 04–2 23–90 72% 18 11
10 Daniel Prenn 1928–1932 17–50 04–5 21–10 68% 14 4
Most total wins since 1981
# Player Years Win–loss Win % Ties
played
Years
played
Singles Doubles Total
1 Boris Becker 1985–1999 38–30 16–9 54–12 82% 28 12
2 Michael Stich 1990–1996 21–90 14–2 35–11 76% 17 7
3 Philipp Kohlschreiber 2007–2020 20–14 04–3 24–17 59% 23 13
4 Tommy Haas 1998–2014 19–70 04–2 23–90 72% 18 11
5 Eric Jelen 1986–1992 8–4 12–4 20–80 71% 16 7
6 Jan-Lennard Struff 2015–2024 15–10 04–0 19–10 66% 22 8
7 Tim Pütz 2017–2024 0–0 18–1 18–10 95% 19 7
8 Kevin Krawietz 2019–2024 0–1 16–1 16–20 89% 17 5
9 Michael Westphal 1982–1986 12–70 00–0 12–70 63% 10 5
Marc-Kevin Goellner 1993–2001 8–6 04–3 12–90 57% 12 7
Nicolas Kiefer 1998–2009 10–11 02–3 12–14 46% 15 10
  • Players who are still active are shown in boldface.

Team records

Statistics since 1981, as of 2024 Davis Cup Finals, quarterfinals.

Results
  • Champion: 3 times
  • Runner-up: 1 time
  • Lost in semifinals: 5 times
  • Lost in quarterfinals: 13 times
  • Lost in first round: 17 times
  • Lost in qualifying round: 1 time
  • Not in World Group: 3 times
Records by decade
  • 1981–1989: 18–7 (72%)
  • 1990–1999: 16–9 (64%)
  • 2000–2009: 11–10 (52%)
  • 2010–2019: 12–10 (55%)
  • 2020–0000: 13–5 (72%)
Records by ground
  • Home (55 ties): 40–15 (73%)
  • Away (44 ties): 23–21 (52%)
  • Neutral (10 ties): 7–5 (58%)
  • Total: (111 ties): 70–41 (63%)

Head-to-head records

Statistics since 1981, as of 2024 Davis Cup Finals, quarterfinalsstage.

  1. ^ a b includes  Czechoslovakia (2–1)

See also

References