De Voest’s Davis Cup side take on Slovenia in crucial play-off

RIK de Voest will carry the hopes of the South African Davis Cup team which take on Slovenia in a crucial Euro-Africa Group 1 play-off at the Park Tivoli Tennis Complex in Ljubljana, Slovenia, starting today.

The 33-year-old veteran gets things under way with the opening singles rubber against Slovenia’s No 2 Blaz Rola. The clash will be followed by SA’s Ruan Roelofse taking on Blaz Ravcic in the day’s other singles match.

Slovenia surprised even their opponents when their top-ranked player Grega Zemlja was not named in their singles line-up.

SA captain John-Laffnie de Jager said: “To not play your highest world-ranked player on the opening day is a surprise. Apparently Zemlja is injured and that’s maybe why the Slovenian captain opted not to play him.”

Zemlja was, however, named in the doubles team alongside Janez Semrajc who will face Roelofse and doubles star Raven Klaasen. De Voest is keen to get the South African team off on a good footing by drawing first blood against his opponent today.

“I’m looking forward to starting procedures off for my country and hopefully giving SA that all-important lead after the first rubber,” De Voest said.

The team are hoping to emulate the result of the last meeting between the two nations at the Arthur Ashe Complex in Soweto last year where SA beat Slovenia 4-1. Youngsters Dean O’Brien and Nikala Scholtz will be ready to slide in, should injuries occur. SA has had to do without Kevin Anderson, who made himself unavailable for the tie, and Izak van der Merwe, who is still recuperating from injury.

The loser of the tie will face Russia next month in a promotion-relegation Group 1 match, which could see one of the sides drop to Group 2.