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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
DAVIS Cup team captain Martin Dzuwa is upbeat his charges will rise to the challenge when they play Georgia in the Europe/Africa Group II relegation play-off from Friday to Sunday at Mziuri Tennis Club in Tbilisi.
The team consists of Benjamin Lock, Mark Fynn, Courtney Lock and Mehluli Sibanda, who is expected to join the other players today in Georgia.
Zimbabwe are ranked 65 while Georgia are 10 places lower. But on the latest player rankings, Georgia have the upper hand with their number one player Nikoloz Basilashvili ranked 121, their number two, George Tsivadze is 1020 while Giorgi Javakhishvili is ranked 1 493.
The visitors’ top player, Benjamin is 790, Fynn is 1 123 and Courtney is ranked 1 602.
Speaking at a press conference in Georgia, yesterday, Dzuwa said they stand a good chance of coming out with a victory as they did last year when they beat Moldova in a relegation play-off.
“We have been together as a team for three weeks now and we are happy to be here. Yes one of our players knows their number one a little bit, but I mean on the chances, we have the chances to play, we have a good team. We have been working as a team, so the boys are happy to be here.
“And I think they (players) have been in a situation where they have had to play a guy who is top 110. So we are looking forward to it and they are here to put in 100 percent (effort) into the matches,” said Dzuwa. The other two players from the two countries — Sibanda and Nodar Itonishvili are not ranked.
The draw for the tie is set for today. And it’s a must win tie for both Zimbabwe and Georgia if they are entertaining any hopes of remaining in the group.
Fynn, who is the second and most experienced player in the team said he knows the threat Basilashvili — Georgia’s top player — poses to their quest for success.
“I know Nikoloz (Basilashvili) really well, I mean we train at the same academy in Istanbul. So I see him very much week-to-week and we have trained a few times together. So I know his game, I know that he is a very good player.
“We are going to have to be on top of our games to compete with him. But we are here well in time, we are feeling good on the courts, so we are really looking forward to the challenge,” said Fynn.
Zimbabwe lost 1-4 to Finland in the first round while Georgia went down to Denmark 0-5.
Online Reporter