LITHUANIA have announced their best possible squad to face South Africa in their crucial Europe/Africa Zone Group 2 Round 2 Davis Cup Tie by BNP Paribas.
The Tie to be played from April 4 to 6 will ove again be staged at the Irene Country Club in Centurion, outside Pretoria, on a medium to fast outdoor hard court.
Lithuania’s non-playing captain Rimvydas Mugevicius named Lithuania’s four best possible players to travel to South Africa. Mugevicius’s team is as follows:
Ricardas Berankis (singles 144; doubles 436)
Laurynas Grigelis (singles 244; doubles 542)
Lukas Mugevicius (singles 973; doubles 969)
Mantas Bugailiskis (singles 1542)
The same Lithuanian team defeated Norway 5-0 in Norway in round one in February.
South Africa and Lithuania meet for the first time in the history of the competition with the victor progressing to a promotion play-off and the chance to advance to Europe Africa Zone Group I.
South Africa are trying to bounce straight back having been relegated last year, while Lithuania have never been higher than Group 2 in the 20 years they have competed in Davis Cup.
The South African squad announced last week is as follows:
Rik De Voest (singles 190; doubles 385)
Dean O’Brien (singles 517; doubles 455)
Ruan Roelofse (singles 749; doubles 271)
Jean Andersen (singles 861; doubles 1292 )
Raven Klaasen (doubles 30 )
Captain: John Laffnie de Jager
South African Davis Cup team Captain John-Laffnie de Jager said “We have lots of respect for the Lithuanian team. Berankis is a very good player with lots of experience, and with Grigelis they have a solid singles line-up. They are both very good Davis Cup players and we look forward to hosting them in South Africa next month.”
In the meantime Tennis South Africa (TSA) have congratulated their Davis Cup captain, John-Laffnie de Jager, who has been chosen as the first South African President of the Global Professional Tennis Association (GPTCA).
The GPTCA is certified by the ATP World Tour and is made up out of professional tennis coaches who coach on the ATP Tour.
John-Laffnie de Jager, recently reappointed as South African Davis Cup captain, joins the ranks of Magnus Norman (Coach of Stan Wawrinka) Ivan Ljubicic (Coach of Milos Roanic) Patrick Mouratoglou (Coach of Serena Williams) as well as various other top coaches. Toni Nadal, Coach and Uncle of Rafael Nadal, sits on the Board of the GPTCA.
Gavin Crookes, acting CEO of Tennis South Africa said: “TSA congratulates John-Laffnie on being chosen as the President of the Global Professional Tennis Coach Association (GPTCA). TSA looks forward to working with John-Laffnie to augment and to contribute to TSA’s International Tennis Federation aligned national coaching programme.”
Davis Cup South Africa vs. Lithuania Tickets will cost R40 and all tickets will be for unreserved seating. There will be safe and secure parking for R20 per vehicle available at the Irene Country Club throughout the Tie.
Advanced ticket sales can be made by calling Annette Terry at the Tennis South Africa offices between 08:30 and 13:00 daily on 011 442 0500 or emailing requests to juniors@tennissa.co.za. Deposits for ticket purchases need to be made into the TSA banking account. TSA tickets can be collected at the TSA offices at The Wanderers Cricket Stadium and special arrangements for ticket collections at the Gauteng North Tennis Association offices in Groenkloof, Pretoria can also be made.
