The New Zealand Davis Cup team has been confirmed for the World Group 2 Play-Offs tie early next month against Jamaica in Kingston.
North Harbour professional Alex Klintcharov ranked 790 in singles is the only newcomer replacing the retired Rubin Statham.
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Klintcharov joins KP Pannu, Ajeet Rai, who are both inside the top 500, Jack Loutit who is in the NCAA and doubles specialist Finn Reynolds with a ranking of 191. The side will be looking to secure their place in World Group 2 for the next round of ties in September with a win in Kingston.
“We have a strong team and a good variety of players, depending on the conditions and opposition, we have different styles of players we can select," said non-playing captain Artem Sitak.
“Alex has been steadily rising throughout the year and deserves his chance to show what he can do at the Davis Cup level. He has a big serve, a big game and is very fit, which going into the heat of Jamaica is very important,: he said.
The Jamaican team includes their top singles player Blaise Blicknell, who picked up at ATP Challenger tour singles title last year and was climbing in the world rankings to a best of number 306, but has been injured since July. The Davis Cup tie will see his return to top level action since his injury break.
“He (Blicknell) is very strong, he had some good wins and was climbing up the rankings fast last year, but got injured mid-year and this is his first match back, we’ve got to expect he will be very strong given the level he was at last year," said Sitak.
The remainder of the Jamaica players are relatively unknown.
“We’re going to have a full seven or eight days as a team together, preparing in the conditions, on the match courts and with the balls we’ll be using for the tie, this is a great way to prepare and we’ll definitely be ready to go when the matches start," he said.
The tie will take place at the Eric Bell National Tennis Centre, Kingston on hard courts, Sunday 2nd and Monday 3rd February.
,Jack Loutit after winning his debut Davis Cup match in Palmerston North, September 2024. (c) Cole Hareb/Tennis NZ