By Munyaradzi Madzokere
The Zimbabwe Davis Cup team is confident of beating higher ranked Tunisia when they meet in the World Group II knockouts in Tunis this weekend.
Both teams will be looking to move a step closer to making the World Group I next year with a win in this tie.
Zimbabwe needs to dig deeper in their reservoir of determination against a team seven places above them on the Davis Cup rankings.
Tunisia are ranked 56th, while Zimbabwe are 63rd.
Benjamin Lock carries the country’s hopes alongside his younger brother Courtney, Mehluli Sibanda and Thabo Ncube.
Gwinyai Tongoona is the non-playing captain.
“We have Tunisia in Davis Cup this coming weekend. We are going there to fight for the win and take Zim up to Group I. We have done well over the last couple of years to be in this position so we need to keep on fighting,” Tongoona said.
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“Tunisia has a stronger team than us on paper but we are ready for the challenge. It will be an uphill battle for us. And to move up to Group 1 will be big for both teams.”
This is the first time that the team will be competing in Davis Cup since beating Syria 3-1 at Harare Sport Club early last year.
Zimbabwe was supposed to have hosted China in September last year but the games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
China eventually withdrew from the competition and Zimbabwe received a bye.
Tunisia are the second best ranked African nation in Davis Cup behind South Africa in position 52, while two other African countries Egypt (59) and Morocco (61) have a better Davis Cup ranking than Zimbabwe.
However, the North African country will be banking on the experience of veteran player Malek Jaziri whose is 302 in the ITF singles ranking.
There is also Aziz Dougaz, who partnered Benjamin Lock to a doubles title in Tunisia earlier this year, among others.
The winner will advance to the 2022 World Group I Play-offs, while losing nations will compete in the World Group II Play-offs.
- Follow Munya on Twitter @munyamadzokere
