THE recently promoted Zimbabwe Davis Cup team will have to wait a little longer before they know their opponents in the 2015 Europe-Africa Zone Group II.
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This is after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced that the draw for the 2015 Europe-Africa Zone Group II will be held following the Davis group’s two remaining play-off ties on October 24 to 26.
The draws for the 2015 Davis World Group, the Americas Zone Groups I and II, Asia-Oceania Zone Groups I and II, and Europe-Africa Zone Group I will take place in Dubai on Thursday.
However, Zimbabwe and Madagascar will await two other teams to be relegated from the Europe/Africa Zone Group I second round play-offs at the end of October.
Already, Egypt, Cyprus, Greece and Norway were relegated from the Europe-Africa Zone Group III for the 2015 competition after finding the going tough in this year.
This leaves neighbours South Africa, Denmark, Finland, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Ireland, Monaco, Morocco and Norway as Zimbabwe’s potential opponents in 2015.
Tennis Zimbabwe administrator Cliff Nhokwara said they were looking forward to next month’s draw.
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“The ITF usually conducts the draw early to give hosting nations enough time to prepare. Should we be drawn at home it would give us enough time to fundraise and approach potential sponsors for the hosting of the tournament well in time. We are obviously looking forward to the draw and we hope we will be playing at home,” he said.
Nhokwara, however, said the association’s immediate focus was on the two ITF Futures tournaments the country is set to host from October 13 to 26.
The two tournaments which carry prize money of $15 000 each will be sponsored by Twenty Third Century Systems (Pvt) Limited and Net One.
In a huge boost for the two ITF Futures, Nhokwara said two members of the successful Davis Cup team, Tinotenda Chanakira and Mark Fynn, had already confirmed their participation.
“Obviously Tinotenda Chanakira and Mark Fynn have already confirmed their participation and they will be using them to prepare for the Davis Cup. Takanyi Garanganga will not take part as he is now competing on the ATP Challengers Tour while Benjamin Lock will have college tennis commitments,” Nhokwara said.
“We expect a number of top players to grace this tournament. Hosting the tournaments would not only be a great advantage to the players, but will also boost the country’s image.”
The ITF Futures circuit is the lowest rung of professional tennis below the Association for Tennis Professionals Challengers’ Tour.
