The cup, known as the World Cup of Tennis, will be back in Southland for the first time in almost 20 years when New Zealand take on Thailand in a World Group 2 tie on September 15 and 16.
Rubin Statham, New Zealand’s most experienced Davis Cup player, has been named in the team alongside Artem Sitak, Ajeet Rai, Isaac Becroft, and Finn Reynolds.
The New Zealand team features a mix of experience and promise.
New Zealand team captain Kelly Evernden said having a few younger players in the team for this event would test New Zealand’s future Davis Cup potential.
Rai, 24, and Becroft, 22, have been selected for singles alongside Statham, 36, who has played in 33 Davis Cup ties since 2005 and has won 28 singles matches along the way.
"After three ties I have been able to see almost all of our guys under pressure and have selected the feisty Isaac Becroft to back up our stalwarts of Ajeet Rai and Rubin Statham," Evernden said.
Becroft played singles for the New Zealand Davis Cup team against Finland in 2022.
"If needed, he will have a chance to show his growth and experience from the Finland tie and play well for us," Evernden said.
Veteran doubles specialist Artem Sitak, 37, who has a world ranking of 167 and has played in 20 Davis Cup ties since 2011, will pair up with Finn Reynolds, 23, who returns to the team after making his Davis Cup debut for New Zealand against South Korea in 2021.
"The addition of Finn Reynolds gives us what I believe is a strong replacement for the doubles team," Evernden said.
He was excited to get to Invercargill for this Davis Cup tie which "we have to win" if New Zealand was to return to World Group 1.
"Looking forward, I believe that getting into the higher levels will help pull the best out of our future players and teams," he said.
The importance of winning the tie in Invercargill is also front of mind for Rai.
"I think we all know that it’s a must-win tie, that’s how we’re looking at it, and we’re going to do absolutely everything to win," he said.
Rai, who has played in six Davis Cup ties since 2018, said playing tennis for your country in front of a home crowd was a special experience.
"I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to experience it even just once, so every time I get the opportunity to put on a New Zealand shirt, especially in front of a home crowd, in front of family and friends who don’t get to see me play often throughout the year, it’s an amazing feeling," he said.
Two singles matches will be played on the Friday evening, followed by doubles and reverse singles on the Saturday, with the winner of the most matches taking the overall tie and progressing to World Group 1 play-offs in February.
- Toni McDonald
