adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe Davis Cup tennis team member Takanyi Garanganga believes they need to remain focused when they take on Moldova in the Europe/Africa Group II relegation play off at Harare Sports Club this weekend.
The matches are scheduled to run from tomorrow to Sunday with both teams seeking to stay in Group II.
The losing country will be relegated to the Africa Zone Group III.
Garanganga, who is the top-ranked player for Zimbabwe, joined the rest of the team which include the Lock brothers — Benjamin and Courtney — Mark Fynn and Tadiwa Chinamo on Tuesday.
Moldova’s team is made up of Dmitrii Baskov, Andrei Soltoianu, Maxim Bulat and Egor Matvievici.
And looking at the two teams, Moldova has a younger side with two of their players — Bulat and Matvievici — aged 18.
The fact that both countries are seeking to remain in this Group might add a little pressure on the players.
However, Garanganga said he is excited to be playing in this tie and noted that they need to focus more on their game as a team than on their opponents.
“I have been playing on the hard court since I got back yesterday so I am excited because this is one of my favourite surfaces. “I have always been confident regardless of the time so I am not dwelling too much upon what speculations are there. I am feeling good and up on my game and that’s what is important.
“Right now we are trying to focus on this match and just build up on what we can do as a team in the long run. The expectations are usually like what other people think but as a team I think we are doing well. “Benji has been doing well in the past couple of weeks and I have been doing pretty well as well. So the good thing is we are just excited to be playing,” said Garanganga.
The 24-year-old, who withdrew from one of the Futures events recently in Italy due to a wrist problem, said he should be okay by tomorrow.
“I was injured a bit, my wrist had a little bit of an issue but now it’s healing, it’s not 100 percent but I am looking forward to it. Today and tomorrow I will get a little bit of therapy and it should be good to go,” said Garanganga.
Moldova captain, Gorban Iuree, said they will do their best to win the tie but added that they are focusing more on the development side for their players since some of them are just coming from the juniors.
“First I want to say just like everybody we want to win and we will do everything to win but the important thing is not to win right now, today or tomorrow. The important thing is the guys that are playing are just starting to play professional tennis because they are a young team. It’s for the future because they just started this year to play ATP tournaments and they didn’t probably get some points, some are just 18 this year.
“For us we understand sport, we are ready to fight, we are ready to win but we are also ready to lose. If we lose we will go and try to be better and practice more and also travel more. It’s a young team and probably we need some years to develop,” said Iuree. Moldova arrived in the country on Tuesday night and Iuree is confident they will adjust to the courts since they are used to playing on clay courts which are a little bit slower than the hard courts.
“We will practice for two days, four or five practice sessions on hard courts because the ball is flying a little faster. In Moldova we play on clay courts only and here it’s hard courts so we need some time but I think we will do our best,” said Iuree.
The draw for the tie will be conducted this morning at Harare Sports Club.
Online Reporter