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Potchefstroom - The crucial Davis Cup World Group playoff tie between South Africa and Croatian gets underway at the University of the North-West on Friday with all to play for.
South Africa’s top ranked men’s tennis player, Kevin Anderson (34 in the ATP rankings) will headline the attack for the hosts when he takes on Ivan Dodig, who is ranked just three places below him and Croatia’s number two for this tie.
The remaining singles rubber which will follow Anderson’s match will take place between Izak van der Merwe and Marin Cilic, who is ranked 26 in the world, 102 places above the South African.
Therefore Anderson will need to put in a solid performance to beat Dodig and help calm any nerves the rest of his team may have, by getting off to a winning start, which will keep South Africa’s dream alive of joining the world’s elite tennis nations for the first time in 13 years.
Anderson beat Dodig in their last meeting in Shanghai last year, but Dodig has since upset world number two, Rafael Nadal less than a month ago in a US Open warm-up event, which underlines the Croatian’s credentials, which is being echoed by the team’s coach, Goran Prpic.
“My players have been in situations like this many times before and know how to handle the pressure. They are excellent players and I believe that they will obtain victory for us,” he told Friday’s Die Burger.
Meanwhile South Africa’s coach, John-Laffnie de Jager admitted that he made a tough decision to select Van der Merwe ahead of the experienced Rik de Voest, saying that the determining factor in the Van der Merwe’s selection was that he thought his bigger serve would pose more of a threat to Cilic and hopefully throw him off his rhythm.
In the mean time, Anderson expects a challenging match against Dodig.
“He is a very accomplished player without any visible shortcomings. I will have to keep putting the pressure on him and make sure that my game is of a high standard.”
South Africa’s top ranked men’s tennis player, Kevin Anderson (34 in the ATP rankings) will headline the attack for the hosts when he takes on Ivan Dodig, who is ranked just three places below him and Croatia’s number two for this tie.
The remaining singles rubber which will follow Anderson’s match will take place between Izak van der Merwe and Marin Cilic, who is ranked 26 in the world, 102 places above the South African.
Therefore Anderson will need to put in a solid performance to beat Dodig and help calm any nerves the rest of his team may have, by getting off to a winning start, which will keep South Africa’s dream alive of joining the world’s elite tennis nations for the first time in 13 years.
Anderson beat Dodig in their last meeting in Shanghai last year, but Dodig has since upset world number two, Rafael Nadal less than a month ago in a US Open warm-up event, which underlines the Croatian’s credentials, which is being echoed by the team’s coach, Goran Prpic.
“My players have been in situations like this many times before and know how to handle the pressure. They are excellent players and I believe that they will obtain victory for us,” he told Friday’s Die Burger.
Meanwhile South Africa’s coach, John-Laffnie de Jager admitted that he made a tough decision to select Van der Merwe ahead of the experienced Rik de Voest, saying that the determining factor in the Van der Merwe’s selection was that he thought his bigger serve would pose more of a threat to Cilic and hopefully throw him off his rhythm.
In the mean time, Anderson expects a challenging match against Dodig.
“He is a very accomplished player without any visible shortcomings. I will have to keep putting the pressure on him and make sure that my game is of a high standard.”
