The Zimbabwe Davis Cup team has been drawn against tricky opponents Turkey as the country makes a return to the exhilarating Euro/Africa Zone Group II stage with a home tie at the Harare Sports Club in February next year.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
Turkey are ranked 49th, while Zimbabwe — coached by Martin Dzuwa — are 73rd on the Davis Cup rankings.
The two countries have only met twice in the history of the competition, with Zimbabwe winning the first-ever meeting in Istanbul 34 years ago by 5-0 whitewash and Turkey getting their revenge 3-0 in 2008, in Bulgaria.
Tennis Zimbabwe president Martin Lock expressed satisfaction with the draw.
“I think it’s a good draw. There was Finland and Georgia in the draw and we would have wanted one of those two teams who beat us the last time we were in this group. It would have been nice getting our revenge this time playing at home,” he told The Sports Hub.
“Turkey is a strong team and their top players are ranked way above our players. I think it’s going to be a very competitive tie but playing at home, I feel the advantage is with us,” Lock added.
Cem Ilkel (22) is the highest ranked Turkish player, at 269 on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) rankings while he also has a decent double ranking at 552.
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Marsel Ilhan (30), the oldest player in the Turkish team is at 310 on the singles ranking with Altug Celikbilek, 416 in the world, also carrying a ranking higher than Zimbabwe’s top player Takanyi Garanganga.
Celikbilek is also the highest-ranked doubles player in the Eastern Europe country team, while 27-year-old Anil Yuksel who is ranked 662 completes a side that did duty for Turkey in their last tie against Sweden.
Garanganga, who missed the relegation playoff in Georgia which the hosts won 3-2, is Zimbabwe’s top ranked player coming at number 438 in the world and Benjamin Lock coming on 475.
However, Lock has a far more superior doubles rank of 304, better than all the Turkish players.
Benjamin Lock’s young brother Courtney, who is currently playing collegiate tennis in the US and has formed a formidable Davis Cup doubles partnership with his sibling could be a doubt for the tie as he enters his final year at Florida State University.
In such a situation, Zimbabwe could call upon veteran Mark Fynn, youngsters Tadiwa Chinamo and Mehluli Sibanda to complete the team.
The TZ president believes Zimbabwe belong in Euro/Africa Group II.
“It’s a huge achievement for us to be back in this group. Personally, I have always thought that this is where we belong and if we can stay there, our upcoming players will benefit from this kind of exposure,” he said.
The first round matches will be played on the February 3-4 weekend in 2018.
