17 Apr 2024

The International Tennis Federation has given Botswana Tennis Association the rights to host the Tennis World Cup (Davis Cup) Africa Group V event to be held in Gaborone on July 15-20.

The 15 countries in Group V are Botswana, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, Congo, Gabon, Seychelles, Mauritania, Lesotho, Djibouti, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan and Libya.

The countries will be competing for the two spots for promotion to Africa Group IV, and expectations are that the tournament is going to be competitive looking at the countries and the calibre of players they have.

According to the Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) spokesperson, Tshepang Tlhankane, Botswana last hosted the cup in 2006.

Tlhankane said that ITF had given Botswana the rights to host, was a sign of confidence.

“When the ITF gives you the rights to host, they take into consideration a lot of things, amongst them the facilities, accommodation and security of the players matter a lot to them,” he said.

He said they were now working  round the clock to ensure that all was in place to deliver a ssucessful tournament.

“First, we have to set a local organising committee and the other thing will be to engage the private sector or business community to partner with us so that at the end we will deliver a successful event,” he said.

In the run up to the Davis Cup Africa, he said they would in June host the Botswana Open, which they would use to gauge their readiness.  

He further said he was confident that Botswana players would fully compete with their peers from other countries.

Meanwhile, a press release from BTA says the decision to appoint Botswana as hosts is a show of confidence by the ITF on the capability and ability of the country to successfully deliver an event of this magnitude.

It says it also marks a significant milestone for tennis in Botswana, as it showcases the nation’s growing prominence on the international tennis stage.

The release further says the BTA is committed to ensuring a thrilling and memorable Davis Cup experience for all involved, from the players, the spectators, the media and the sponsors.

“We extend our gratitude to the ITF for their confidence in our ability to host this esteemed event and look forward to welcoming tennis enthusiasts from around the continent to Botswana,” says the release. ENDS