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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S Davis Cup tennis team will host El Salvador next year in March, in the Group II Play-offs following the draw that was conducted on Sunday.

The tie is scheduled to take place on March 4 and 5 in Harare.

Zimbabwe lost their last match in the World Group II Knock-outs against Tunisia less than two weeks ago in Tunis.

They were defeated 4-0 by better ranked Tunisia, missing out on the World Group I Play-offs.

Zimbabwe will be back in action in March when they host El Salvador. Zimbabwe will be out for a win to stay in World Group II.

Captain Gwinyai Tongoona said it’s a fair draw and is optimistic the team will pull through but is not underestimating their opponents.

“I think it’s a good draw for us getting a tie at home and I think El Salvador are a beatable team. I know one of their players is ranked about 600, around there. I don’t know about the other guys, maybe they have good juniors or some guys playing college tennis.

“But obviously like the Syrian team, we know they didn’t have any guys ranked but they had good players. So we are not going to get any easy matches in Group II.

“But I think playing at home it’s good for us and the conditions will suit our team better, obviously than clay courts in Tunisia. So I think it’s a good draw for us and we have a chance to win that one,” said Tongoona.

The team that clashed with Tunisia was made up of Benjamin Lock, Courtney Lock, Mehluli Sibanda and Thabo Ncube.

Zimbabwe were missing one of their top players, Takanyi Garanganga, who was still recovering from a knee injury.

“Hopefully he will be back. But then if he is not back then we have to look at the players that we have. Should we have Benji available then already we are quite strong and if we have Courtney for doubles we are quite strong as well.

“Obviously, Mehluli played, he had a tough one against (Malek) Jaziri in Tunisia but if he can continue training and raise up his game . . . I think we have to keep continuing to look at the upcoming guys, I mean Thabo also played a very good match when he played the fourth match there in Tunisia.

“So hopefully if Takanyi is there, obviously we become a very much stronger team but if he is not, then we have got to look at the players that we have,” Tongoona said. Zimbabwe are ranked 63, four places above El Salvador.

The 12 winning nations from the 2022 World Group II Play-offs will progress to 2022 World Group II ties. The 12 losing nations will compete in regional Group III events later in 2022.