Semifinal match between the future champion, Spain, and the USA in Las Ventas bullring.
The 2008 Davis Cup was the 97th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. Sixteen teams participated in the World Group and more than one hundred others took part in different regional groups. The first matches were played on February 8–10. The final took place on November 21–23 at Estadio Polideportivo Islas Malvinas, Mar del Plata, Argentina, with Spain beating Argentina 3–1 to clinch their 3rd Davis Cup title.[1]
The eight losing teams in the World Group first round ties, and eight winners of the Group I second round ties entered the draw for the World Group play-offs. Eight seeded teams, based on the Davis Cup rankings as of 14 April, were drawn against eight unseeded teams.
The Americas Zone was one of the three zones of the regional Davis Cup competition in 2008.
In the Americas Zone there were four different tiers, called groups, in which teams compete against each other to advance to the upper tier. Winners in Group II advanced to the Americas Zone Group I. Teams who lost their respective ties competed in the relegation play-offs, with winning teams remaining in Group II, whereas teams who lost their play-offs were relegated to the Americas Zone Group III in 2009.[3]
Cuba withdrew from the tournament. They remained in Group III in 2009.
Guatemala and Jamaica promoted to Group II in 2009
Aruba and Panama relegated to Group IV in 2009
Group IV
The Americas Zone was one of the three zones of the regional Davis Cup competition in 2008.
In the Americas Zone there were four different tiers, called groups, in which teams competed against each other to advance to the upper tier. The four teams in Group IV played in a single Round-robin tournament. The top two teams were promoted to the Americas Zone Group III in 2009. All other teams remained in Group IV.[13]
Luxembourg, Greece, Morocco, and Tunisia relegated to Group III in 2009.
South Africa and Ukraine promoted to Group I in 2009.
Group III
Zone A
The Europe/Africa Zone was one of the three zones of the regional Davis Cup competition in 2008.
In the Europe/Africa Zone there were four different tiers, called groups, in which teams competed against each other to advance to the upper tier. Group III was split into two tournaments. One tournament was held in Tennis Club Lokomotiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, April 9–13, on outdoor clay courts, while the other was held in Master Class Tennis and Fitness Club, Yerevan, Armenia, May 7–11, also on outdoor clay courts.[20]
Format
Botswana and Nigeria withdrew from the Plovdiv tournament. They remained in Group III in 2009. The six remaining teams in the Plovdiv tournament played in a round-robin format. The top two teams were promoted to the Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2009. The bottom two teams were demoted to the Europe/Africa Zone Group IV in 2009.[20]
Note: Tie between Bosnia & Herzegovina, Lithuania, and Estonia (Pool B) broken on number of rubbers won. Tie between Andorra, Armenia, and Ghana (6th–8th) broken on number of rubbers won.
Moldova and Lithuania promoted to Group II for 2009.
Armenia and Ghana relegated to Group IV for 2009.
The Europe/Africa Zone was one of the three zones of the regional Davis Cup competition in 2008.
In the Europe/Africa Zone there were four different tiers, called groups, in which teams competed against each other to advance to the upper tier. Group III was split into two tournaments. One tournament was held in Tennis Club Lokomotiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, April 9–13, on outdoor clay courts, while the other was held in Master Class Tennis and Fitness Club, Yerevan, Armenia, May 7–11, also on outdoor clay courts.[20]
Format
The eight teams in the Yerevan tournament were split into two pools and played in a round-robin format. The top two teams of each pool advanced to the promotion pool, from which the two top teams were promoted to the Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2009. The bottom two teams of each group were placed in the relegation pool, from which the two bottom teams were demoted to the Europe/Africa Zone Group IV in 2009.[20]
The top two teams from each of Pools A and B advanced to the Promotion pool. Results and points from games against the opponent from the preliminary round were carried forward.
The bottom two teams from Pools A and B were placed in the relegation group. Results and points from games against the opponent from the preliminary round were carried forward.