The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
STANDING between Zimbabwe’s survival and demotion from the Davis Cup Euro/Africa Group II are 75th ranked Georgia.The Zimbabwe team comprising non-playing captain Martin Dzuwa, Benjamin and Courtney Lock, Mark Fynn and Mehluli Sibanda left the country yesterday to face the Europeans.
Zimbabwe are ranked 10 places above their opponents whom they face between Friday and Sunday in the capital Tsibilisi.Georgia are fairly a young side and would hope to use home advantage at the Mziuri Tennis Club, despite suffering a 0-5 whitewash against Denmark the last time they played there in March.So who will Dzuwa’s men face this week?Twenty –four year old Nikoloz Basilashvili, George Tsivadze (23), Giorgi Javakhishvilli (21) and Nodar Itonishvilli (27) make up the Georgia team.
Basilashvili is their danger man, with an impressive singles ranking of 104 and it’s not surprising he was the only one to win a set when all his team mates where whitewashed by Denmark.It is that loss that has put the Europeans in this relegation play-off while Zimbabwe went down 1-4 away to Finland to be in this position.The two nations have made one change to their teams.For Zimbabwe in comes unranked 17-year-old Sibanda who replaces the unavailable Takanyi Garanganga.Georgia have also drafted in Itonishvilli for Irakli Metreveli.
The Zimbabweans are fresh from the three-week Futures tournament and will play Georgia on familiar conditions, a hard surface and outdoor ground.
In form Ben Lock won his first title at home after also bagging the first doubles title with his younger brother Courtney in Mozambique last month.
Mark Fynn is the senior player in the Zimbabwe team and was on record saying they had one of their best preparations by playing in the Zimbabwe Futures and also training as a team ahead of the Georgia tie.
The loser of this tie will be relegated to the Euro/Africa group III.
