Work on Davis Cup play-offs starts

TENNIS Zimbabwe have begun working towards hosting Uruguay in the Davis Cup World Group II Play-offs due to take place early next year.

The play-offs are expected to take place either on February 3 to 4 or 4 to 5, 2023.

TZ president, Biggie Magarira, said they have put in place a committee that will take charge of the various aspects of the preparations.

“We have put together a Davis Cup committee which is going to look into the preparations and the board will also sit to look whether we are going to retain the same captain or we are going to appoint another captain... it will be an executive board decision,” said Magarira.

He also said the team will be announced soon.

However, it appears there won’t be major changes with the players that helped Zimbabwe earn their place back to the World Group II play-offs in August when beating Namibia in a promotional play-off at the Africa Group III event in Algiers, Algeria, likely to be retained.

The team was made up of the Lock brothers — Benjamin and Courtney — Mehluli Sibanda and Benedict Badza. Freeman Nyamunokora was the captain.

Uruguay are ranked 42nd and Zimbabwe are placed 67th on the rankings. Zimbabwe are going into next year’s tie hoping to cause an upset.

Magarira said they will be hoping to utilise the home advantage.

“Looking at the tie against Uruguay, we have a chance of winning that tie considering that our players, Benji and Courtney, our senior players, they have put in a lot of work into their play.

“They have been playing Challengers and they have been on the court almost every day.

So I am confident that the boys can actually do it and we also had another player, Mehluli (Sibanda), who went to Mozambique. He played ITF Futures (ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour) there and he played so well and he got to the finals of the first leg.

“So we have already started working on the Davis Cup tie and because we are going into a Christmas break, we are going to look at how best we can prepare for the tournament from January.

“But as of now, most of our players have been active, which is a big plus for us.

“And with the tie being played at home, it’s a good chance for us to win this tie because there is home support and it will be favourable for our team to win this tie,” said Magarira.

Zimbabwe earned their place back to the World Group II play-offs in August at the Africa Group III event in Algiers, Algeria.

The other slots went to Cote d’Ivoire and Morocco.