The Davis Cup is associated with which international sport competition?

Introduction / Context:
Many famous international tournaments are named after cups, trophies or sponsors, and competitive exams commonly test your knowledge of which sport a particular cup is associated with. The Davis Cup is one of the oldest and most prestigious international team competitions in its sport, and recognising the correct association helps you answer a whole family of similar sports general knowledge questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The name of the event given is Davis Cup.
• The question asks to identify the sport with which this cup is associated.
• Several sports, such as lawn tennis, table tennis, hockey, polo and badminton, are listed as options.
• We assume standard historical knowledge of international tournaments.

Concept / Approach:
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men tennis. It is organised by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between national teams in a format similar to a world championship. Matches are played in singles and doubles, on different surfaces, but always within the sport of lawn tennis. None of the other listed sports have a major world team tournament traditionally called the Davis Cup.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Davis Cup is a long standing international event in tennis where national teams compete. Step 2: Confirm that this event is associated with lawn tennis, not table tennis or other sports. Step 3: Check the answer choices and locate lawn tennis among the options. Step 4: Verify that no other listed sport has a primary world team event called the Davis Cup. Step 5: Choose lawn tennis as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you recall famous tennis players like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Indian players such as Leander Paes, you may remember that they have represented their countries in Davis Cup ties. These ties are always described in tennis news, not in relation to hockey, polo or badminton. Additionally, international hockey tournaments are associated with other trophies like the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, while badminton has its own team events like the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup. This consistency across sports news and history confirms the link between the Davis Cup and lawn tennis.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Table tennis: International table tennis has other tournaments, and when cups are mentioned, they usually have different names and governing bodies from the Davis Cup.
Hockey: Major hockey tournaments, such as the World Cup and Champions Trophy, are clearly distinct from the Davis Cup.
Polo: Polo tournaments have their own traditional trophies and are usually mentioned with specific club or region names, not with the Davis Cup title.
Badminton: Team events in badminton are called the Thomas Cup for men and the Uber Cup for women, not the Davis Cup.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error in sports general knowledge questions is to confuse names of cups and trophies between sports, especially when you study them in long lists. To avoid this, it is helpful to mentally link Davis Cup with the image of tennis courts and national tennis teams. Associating Thomas Cup with badminton and Ranji Trophy with Indian cricket, for example, builds a network of clear connections that make exam recall easier.

Final Answer:
The Davis Cup is associated with the sport of lawn tennis.