Davis Cup: Abua, Bennani To Open Nigeria-Morocco World Group II Tie

Nigeria’s Canice Abua will face Morocco’s Karim Bennani in the opening singles rubber of the 2026 Davis Cup World Group II tie in Rabat on Saturday.

The official draw for the tie was conducted at the Conference Hall of the Union Sportive des Cheminots de Tennis du Maroc in Rabat, setting up a potentially decisive weekend for both nations.

Abua, Nigeria’s number one, will take on Bennani in the first rubber before Daniel Adeleye faces Morocco’s Yassine Dlimi in the second singles.

Sunday’s programme will begin with the doubles, where Nigeria’s Michael Emmanuel and Yusuf Abubakar will meet Morocco’s Younes Lalami and Dlimi.

The reverse singles will then see Adeleye face Bennani, while Abua is scheduled to take on Dlimi in the fifth and potentially decisive rubber.

All five matches will be played as best-of-three tie-break sets on clay.

The tie carries particular significance for Nigeria, who are seeking their first Davis Cup victory over Morocco after losing all four previous meetings between the nations since 1973.

The Nigerian team arrived in Rabat on Monday following an intensive training camp in Lagos. The squad is led by head coach Benson Ishicheli, while Nigeria Tennis Federation vice-president Datti Yusuf represented the country at the official draw.

The draw ceremony was preceded by a meet-and-greet involving players, coaches and officials from both teams, with representatives of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) also in attendance.

Nigeria earned promotion to World Group II for the first time in 30 years after defeating Uzbekistan 3–1 at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, in February.

Morocco, meanwhile, dropped into World Group II after losing to Colombia in the World Group I tie.

The winner in Rabat will progress to the 2027 World Group I Play-offs, while the losing nation will remain in World Group II.

Order of Play

Saturday – Singles

1. Canice Abua (NGR) vs Karim Bennani (MAR)
2. Daniel Adeleye (NGR) vs Yassine Dlimi (MAR)

Sunday – Doubles and Reverse Singles

1. Michael Emmanuel/Yusuf Abubakar (NGR) vs Younes Lalami/Yassine Dlimi (MAR)
2. Daniel Adeleye (NGR) vs Karim Bennani (MAR)
3. Canice Abua (NGR) vs Yassine Dlimi (MAR)