Thais ready for testing Lebanon tie
Thailand’s Davis Cup squad are confident of a victory in their World Group 1 play-off battle against Lebanon, which gets underway today.
The match will be played at the Automobile Touring and Sport Club of Lebanon in Beirut.
The official draw for the encounter, winners of which will earn the right to compete in the World Group I ties in September this year, was held yesterday.
In the two singles match-ups scheduled for the opening day, Thailand No.2 Jirat Navasirisomboon meets host country’s Benjamin Hassan before the Kingdom’s top-ranked player, Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul, takes on Hasan Ibrahim.
In the doubles match-up tomorrow, Thailand’s Kittirat Kerdlaphee and Phongsapat Kerdlaphee will lock horns with Lebanon’s doubles pair of Hassan and Giovani Samaha.
The reverse singles contests will also be staged tomorrow with Jirat meeting Ibrahim and Wishaya facing Hassan.
Thai team manger Somsak Rintranurak said his men’s target was to win at least one of the two singles rubbers on the first day.
“If we ended the opening day with a 2-0 lead, it will be a big bonus for us. It will be make things easier for us on the second day,” said Somsak, adding that he was “confident that my players can beat the Lebanese”.
Wishaya said he has never played Ibrahim before, but “I have done my homework well and am confident that I will win the match-up.”
Jirat added: “Playing against their top player does not put me under any pressure and I’ll be going into the match with high hopes of claiming the first point for Thailand.”
Thailand team captain Rungrit Takong said: “We have brought along a mixture of old and new players to the play-off here.
“The Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT) has changed its selection criteria and it’s no more based on the players’ world rankings.
“The purpose is to give chance to new in-form players.
“There are three news players in this squad and they are all eager to do well for the country. In any case, this should be a great new experience for all of them.”