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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sport and Recreation Commission (SRC) has congratulated the victorious  Zimbabwe Davis Cup squad for qualifying for the Euro/Africa Zone Group II after defeating Namibia 2-0 in Egypt.
The match was played on Saturday.
Zimbabwe’s number one Takanyi Garanganga overpowered Tuki Jacobs 6-2, 6-2 while Benjamin Lock beat Jacobus Serdyn 6-1, 6-0.

With Zimbabwe carrying an unassailable 2-0 lead, the doubles match of Mark Fynn and Lock against the Namibian pair of Serdyn and Jacobs was rendered unnecessary to play.

Saturday’s memorable victory capped a fine outing in the land of the Pharaohs which started from Pool A with a 3-0 win over Congo, followed by victories over Madagascar (2-1) and Nigeria (3-0) also coming in convincing fashion.

“The SRC has received Team Zimbabwe’s victory at the Davis Cup tennis qualifiers held in Cairo, Egypt, with joy and celebration that Zimbabwe’s glory is being rediscovered,” said the country’s supreme sports body through its spokesperson Tirivashe Nheweyembwa.

The victory, said the SRC, was testimony that the deliberate development programmes embarked upon by Tennis Zimbabwe were beginning to bear fruit and with the result, more sponsors who were sitting on the fence would, hopefully, now commit themselves.

“It is our hope that the various sponsors who were sitting on the fence will now recommit themselves once again to tennis. As SRC we are proud that our flag is continuously being flown high by our various sporting ambassadors,” said Nheweyembwa.

The Commission remained hopeful that the same focus and determination will be maintained for the good of not only tennis but also other sporting disciplines in the country.

By qualifying for Euro/Africa Zone Group II, Zimbabwe will now be hosting and visiting the likes of Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Finland, Luxembourg and South Africa. This group is likely to offer Zimbabweans the much-needed experience as the fight to surge to the elite World Group continues.

Legends Kevin Ullyett, Byron and Wayne Black played in the World Group in the late 1990s.