Having spent more time together than usual, captain Pietie Norval is confident that the Renault SA Davis Cup team is ready to face Morocco in a crucial World Group II tie at Groenkloof Tennis Club in Pretoria on Saturday and Sunday.
The national team arrived in Pretoria last Saturday, a week before the tie, and Norval stated they had prepared well for the clash as they seek to move closer to World Group I. “We actually got together a day earlier than usual because we wanted to be even better prepared than we have been in the past, and that made a significant difference,” Norval said on Thursday.
“Some of our players came in from lower altitudes and needed the extra day to acclimatise. Overall, we felt our preparation for this tie required enhancement. Everything is in good order within the team. We have a couple of newcomers for this tie, and with the extra day and a greater emphasis on high-intensity training over the past five days, I believe the guys are the best prepared they have ever been.”
The five-member Renault SA squad includes Alec Beckley and 19-year-old Leo Matthysen, both of whom have experience competing in the Davis Cup. The other three members of the squad – Thando Longwe-Smit, experienced 30-year-old Marc van der Merwe, and 17-year-old prospect Connor Doig – will be hoping to make their Davis Cup debuts.
Although they are heading into the tie with a young team, missing some higher-ranked players due to injuries or unavailability, Beckley believes the hosts are ready to put up a fight against Morocco.
“I think it does put a little bit more pressure on us, but I believe we are well prepared and know what to do,” said Beckley, the SA team’s top-ranked player.
“We realise the situation, and Pietie has been working well with us. Everything is in place, so we are not worrying about ‘what ifs’. This is our team, and we will make the best of it; we feel confident in our capabilities this weekend.”
Morocco, ranked seven places above South Africa in the Davis Cup rankings, is also confident heading into the tie, despite competing in unfamiliar conditions. Taha Baadi, Morocco’s top-ranked player, mentioned they had spent a week training in Ifrane (more than 300m higher in altitude than Pretoria) and had acclimatised well to the conditions since arriving in South Africa’s capital city.
“Fortunately, we spent a week in Ifrane for training, and we have adjusted to the breathing aspect and hit some balls, which eased our transition,” Baadi said. “It took us a couple of days to acclimatise after arriving in Pretoria, but now we feel we are all adjusted. We’ll find out on Saturday if we are truly acclimatised, but we are all in good spirits.”
The draw for the tie between South Africa and Morocco will take place at the Garden Court hotel in Hatfield on Friday. The winners of this weekend’s contest will progress to the World Group I promotion playoffs, while the losing side will compete in the World Group II relegation playoffs.
