Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
Gwinyai Tongoona has taken over from Martin Dzuwa as captain of Zimbabwe’s Davis Cup tennis team ahead of next year’s Europe/Africa Zone Group II tie against Turkey in February.

Zimbabwe will host the encounter in Harare and preparations are underway with some renovations currently taking place on the Centre Court at Harare Sports Club. Tennis Zimbabwe have come up with a squad of six from which Tongoona, an ex-Davis Cup team player, will pick his final team to be finalised next month.

The squad comprises of Takanyi Garanganga, the Lock brothers Benjamin and Courtney, Tadiwa Chinamo, Mehluli Sibanda and Mark Chigaazira, who is the new face in the team.

Tongoona will seek to continue with the progress the team had recently under Dzuwa, who has been the captain for the past four years. TZ convener of selectors Tanya Chinamo said it is now left to the captain to pick his final team.

“Basically we have selected a squad of players from which the team will be chosen from and that will be done by the captain. Mark is the new guy coming in. He performed well, so obviously we hope he rises up to that performance. He did well in those tournaments that you saw and he was in good form,” said Chinamo.

Chinamo said depending on the funds, they would want the players to keep taking part in tournaments as part of the build-up to the tie. “Against Turkey we are playing home, so the guys will keep on playing tournaments that suit our surface here and obviously the altitude as well will play a part,” said Chinamo.

Zimbabwe made a quick return to Group II when they beat Kenya in the promotional play-offs in July, having been demoted to Africa Zone Group III last year when they lost their ties against Finland and Georgia. Chinamo said Dzuwa has done well with the team and they needed to also give someone else a chance.

He was the captain of the team in 2014 when they gained promotion into Group II after several years of trying and in 2015 Zimbabwe managed to remain in the Group following their victory over Moldova in the relegation play-offs. They had lost the first tie to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“Obviously Martin has been the captain for about four-five years now and we just need a change. He has done well for us . . . We know we have qualified from the Africa (Zone Group III), and now we are in the European Group. So he has done well and he has done his time, it’s time to give someone else a chance,” said Chinamo.

TZ president Martin Lock echoed the same sentiments and added that the appointment of Tongoona is part of their efforts to create a broad base of captains and coaches for the team.

“I think Martin has done very well. He has won some matches in Europe and he was successful in Egypt in getting us back into Europe, so he has done very well. But we have other coaches who are capable of doing the job, who are also ex-players, who are also qualified and I think it is part of developing your captain and your coaches’ base.

“It’s not to say that anyone has done a bad job, not at all, we have been very happy with Martin. And I think he has done the nation proud but I think it’s time to give someone else the chance that he also develop a wider base of a captain and a coach,” said Lock.

The TZ president last week said their preparations are taking shape and are optimistic of a staging successful event.

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