Having trained longer than usual, captain Pietie Norval says the Renault SA Davis Cup team is “the best prepared they have ever been”. They face Morocco this weekend in Pretoria.
The squad gathered a day earlier than usual at Groenkloof Tennis Club. “We wanted to be even better prepared than in the past, and that made a significant difference,” Norval explained.
Some players had arrived from low-altitude regions, needing extra time to adjust. The captain said their intense training since last Saturday has boosted confidence. He added: “Everything is in good order within the team.”
The Renault SA squad features five players: Alec Beckley, 19-year-old Leo Matthysen, Thando Longwe-Smit, 30-year-old veteran Marc van der Merwe, and 17-year-old debut hopeful Connor Doig.
Though missing some higher-ranked teammates, Beckley insists the side is ready. “It does put a little bit more pressure on us, but I believe we are well prepared,” he said. “This is our team, and we will make the best of it.”
Morocco, seven places above South Africa in the Davis Cup rankings, is also confident. Their top-ranked player, Taha Baadi, said they spent a week training in Ifrane, 300m higher than Pretoria.
“It took us a couple of days to acclimatise after arriving in Pretoria, but now we feel adjusted,” Baadi said. “We’ll find out on Saturday if we are truly acclimatised.”
The draw will be held on Friday at Garden Court Hotel, Hatfield. The winners will reach the World Group I playoffs, while the losers fall into World Group II relegation playoffs.
For background, you can see official Davis Cup updates.
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