PRETORIA, 9 September 2011

ITF DAVIS CUP 2011 - from 16 to 18 September in Potchefstroom

Croatia has qualified to play in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tournament  against South Africa.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) in London announced that the ITF Davis Cup event will be held from 16 to 18 September 2011 and hosted in Potchefstroom, a town about 120 kilometers from Johannesburg. This is the first tour away from home for the Croatian team since it played against Great Britain in London in 2007. South Africa and Croatia have not met in the Davis Cup previously and it will be their first head- to-head encounter.

September’s play-off will be major for both teams as the winner will play in next season’s elite rankings tournament made up of the world’s 16 leading tennis teams. Both teams enjoy a high reputation in this competition.  South Africa won the 1974 Davis Cup and Croatia was the victor in 2005.  Since the inception of the competition in 1900, Croatia and South African are amongst 13 countries that can boast of having won the title.

The Croatian team has a major asset in its captain, Marin Cilic, ranked 28th in the world and Ivan Dodig who is ranked 33rd on the ATP list.  Croatia’s world class players will be a challenge to the South African team captained by Kevin Anderson, (ranked 34).  Rik de Voest, ranked 126th on the ATP singles list, is likely to be part of the South African four man team.

Undoubtedly, the encounter promises to be the ultimate sporting event for Potchefstroom this season!