Jamaica ready for dangerous Davis Cup tie against Barbados
THE FIVE-MEMBER team of Blaise Bicknell, Rowland Phillips, Daniel Azar, Jeremy Miller, and David Goldsmith will have the weight of expectations levied on their shoulders as they prepare for a must-win Davis Cup battle against Caribbean counterparts Barbados from February 3-4 at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre.
The loser of the tie will be eliminated from Davis Cup Group II.
President of Tennis Jamaica, John Azar, while speaking at a press conference yesterday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, was brimming with confidence at the prospect of the tie on local soil.
“We put up a good event last year and I’m confident that come February 3 and 4, we will be hosting another First World event here in Jamaica,” said Azar.
The event he speaks of was Jamaica’s Davis Cup victory over Estonia early in 2023.
The crowd support and home-soil advantage helped the Jamaicans to a victory over a game Estonia, and Azar is hoping that the same holds true on this go-around. “We have one goal, and that’s victory, and I’m confident that we will be well prepared and they will be unified and cohesive. Barbados will be tough, but while we are taking nothing for granted, we are confident that at the end of the tie, the players will execute, and by God’s willing, come out on top,” he said.
Azar believes that the Jamaican team can mine significant benefits from playing in front of their home supporters just as they did against Estonia and so is asking for Jamaicans to beef up their support for the games, which have an 11 a.m. start on both days.
“As you know, in sports, the home crowd is often referred to as the 12th man. We have a number of guys on the team that when they put on the national colours it tends to bring out the best in them. So we want not only the tennis fans, but sporting fans across the island to come and support out national team.” Barbados, captained by Damien Applewaite, have 513-ranked Darian King leading their lines, along with Kaipo Marshall, Xavier Lawrence, Stephen Slocombe, Haydn Lewis, and Matthew Foster-Estwick.
According to newly appointed captain of Jamaica Noel Rutherford, the team shouldn’t feel pressure going into the tie.
“I’m not pressured, and I don’t think the players are feeling any pressure. It’s a matter of how well you’re playing on that day, and it’s never over until the last point is played. I think my players’ mindsets are at a really good place right now, and I’m looking forward to great things,” said Rutherford.
The Jamaican team will be involved in a one-week training camp leading up to next weekend’s clash. Rutherford believes that this will give him the chance to improve preparations ahead of the must-win tie.
“I haven’t seen much of the players, but I’ve been following up on their programme. However, the training camp will give me a closer look at them to see if there’s any rust, and then I’ll take it from there as you want to see it from close up. That’s one of the main reasons for having the camp,” said the captain.