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Ellina Mhlanga-Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Davis Cup tennis team at the Africa Group III event kept their hopes for promotion alive when they beat Mozambique 3-0 in their last Pool A tie in Algiers, Algeria, yesterday.
The team consists of Benjamin Lock, Courtney Lock, Mehluli Sibanda and Benedict Badza. They are led by captain Freeman Nyamunokora.
Zimbabwe, who are in Pool A together with Benin, Mozambique and Cote d’Ivoire, are fighting to be promoted back into the World Group II Play-offs.
Pool B is made up of Morocco, Kenya, Namibia and Algeria.
The winners of each pool will be directly promoted to compete in the World Group II Play-offs in 2023.
The second team in each pool will compete in a play-off today to determine the third promoted team. Zimbabwe were left in a tricky situation after losing their opening encounter 1-2 to Cote d’Ivoire on Wednesday.
Yesterday’s victory over Mozambique was Zimbabwe’s second win having beaten Benin 2-1 on Thursday.
They needed to win yesterday’s tie against Mozambique to remain in contention for promotion. The victory saw them finishing second in Pool A behind Cote d’Ivoire, who won all their ties.
First on the court yesterday was Sibanda and he dismissed Jaime Sigauque 6-1, 6-0. Benjamin Lock beat Jossefa Simao Elias 6-1, 6-0 in the other singles match.
Benjamin then teamed-up with his younger brother Courtney for the doubles and they overpowered the pair of Jaime and Hercilio Rafael Seda 6-0, 6-0.
Nyamunokora commended the players for rising to the occasion.
“The boys came out fired up and took care of business,” said Nyamunokora.
Morocco topped Pool B and together with Cote d’Ivoire they get direct promotion to the World Group II Play-offs.
Zimbabwe will battle it out with Namibia in today’s play-off to determine the third nation to be promoted. Namibia finished second in Pool B.
The Zimbabwe captain Nyamunokora said they will take each match as it comes and will be hoping they come out with a positive result to get the last slot for promotion.
“Look, all these ties are fifty-fifty, so we will take each match as it comes… The boys are ready,” said Nyamunokora.
Morocco topped Pool B and together with Cote d’Ivoire they get direct promotion to the World Group II Play-offs.
The bottom two teams in each pool will compete in crossover play-offs to determine the two teams that will be relegated to compete in Africa Group IV in 2023.
Zimbabwe were relegated to the Africa Group III after losing to El Salvador in the World Group II Play-offs at Harare Sports Club in March.
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