Davis Cup structure

The Davis Cup tennis competition is structured around a number of groups, with promotion and relegation between them.
At the top is the World Group, which competes in a knockout competition. Below that it becomes regional, with an American Zone, Euro/African Zone and Asia/Oceania Zone. Each of these zones contains four groups. The upper two groups play a knock out competition, while the lower two groups play a round robin competition. The winner(s) of each group are promoted to the one above, while the losers are relegated to the one below. There are two exceptions: Group Four countries are not relegated (as there is nowhere for them to go) and Group One winners play-off against losers of the World Group first round to decide who will be in the World Group next year.
2009 structure
<table class="wikitable">
<tr style="background:#efefef;">
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center">
Level
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="96%" align="center">
Group(s)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
1
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="96%" align="center">
World Group
16 countries
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
2
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="30%" align="center">
Group One American Zone
6 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="33%" align="center">
Group One Euro/African Zone
9 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="33%" align="center">
Group One Asia/Oceania Zone
9 countries
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
3
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="30%" align="center">
Group Two American Zone
8 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="33%" align="center">
Group Two Euro/African Zone
16 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="33%" align="center">
Group Two Asia/Oceania Zone
8 countries
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
4
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="30%" align="center">
Group Three American Zone
8 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="33%" align="center">
Group Three Euro/African Zone
16 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="33%" align="center">
Group Three Asia/Oceania Zone
8 countries
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
5
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="30%" align="center">
Group Four American Zone
5 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="33%" align="center">
Group Four Euro/African Zone
5 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="33%" align="center">
Group Four Asia/Oceania Zone
10 countries
</td>
</tr>
</table>
Current structure (2010)
<table class="wikitable">
<tr style="background:#efefef;">
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center">
Level
</td>
<td colspan="4" width="96%" align="center">
Group(s)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
1
</td>
<td colspan="4" width="96%" align="center">
World Group
16 countries
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
2
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="24%" align="center">
Group One American Zone
5 countries
</td>
<td colspan="2" width="46%" align="center">
Group One Euro/African Zone
11 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="26%" align="center">
Group One Asia/Oceania Zone
8 countries
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
3
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="24%" align="center">
Group Two American Zone
8 countries
</td>
<td colspan="2" width="46%" align="center">
Group Two Euro/African Zone
16 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="26%" align="center">
Group Two Asia/Oceania Zone
8 countries
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
4
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="24%" align="center">
Group Three American Zone
8 countries
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="24%" align="center">
Group Three European Zone
9 countries (provisional)
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="22%" align="center">
Group Three African Zone
12 countries (provisional)
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="26%" align="center">
Group Three Asia/Oceania Zone
8 countries
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="1" width="4%" align="center" style="background:#efefef;">
5
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="24%" align="center">
Group Four American Zone
5 countries (provisional)
</td>
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="24%" align="center">
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="22%" align="center">
</td>
<td colspan="1" width="26%" align="center">
Group Four Asia/Oceania Zone
10 countries (provisional)
</td>
</tr>
</table>
Note: The total number of nations in Group One is 24. However, the distribution between the three zones may vary each year, according to the number of nations promoted or relegated between Group One and the World Group. The number of nations in the World Group and Group One together is 22 from Euro/African Zone, 9 from Americas Zone and 9 from Asia/Oceania Zone.

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