In-form Raven Klaasen boosts SA Davis Cup team

07 July 2016 - 17:57 By Chumani Bambani

The inclusion of doubles ace Raven Klaasen has boosted the South African Davis Cup team’s chances of reaching the third round of the Euro-Africa Group 2.SA captain Marcos Ondruska will lead a four-man team to face Lithuania in Kaunas for the second round tie to be played from July 15-17.Klaasen‚ who reached the Wimbledon doubles semifinals on Wednesday with American partner Rajeev Ram‚ will be the most senior member of the SA team that will also include Tucker Vorster‚ Ruan Roelofse and promising 19-year-old Lloyd Harris. “Raven’s experience should prove vital in leading this team through what we expect to be a closely contested tie‚” said an excited Ondruska.The tie against Lithuania will also serve as an opportunity for the SA team to avenge their 2-3 defeat at the Irene Country Club in the last tie between the two nations two years ago.The SA team will be full of confidence after they convincingly beat Luxembourg 5-0 in the first round ties at Irene in March. Klaasen was unavailable for the SA team's last tie due to other commitments.The Lithuanians will be beaming with confidence after they secured a 3-2 win against Norway in their last tie.SA Davis Cup team wins relegation battle against IrelandThe South African tennis team successfully retained its spot in the Davis Cup Euro-Africa Zone Group 2 with a win over Ireland in a relegation tie at the Irene Country Club in Gauteng this weekend. Klaasen will partner up with Roelofse in the doubles rubber‚ while Harris and Vorster are likely to do duty as the singles players.“I’m looking to Ruan and Raven merging well together and bringing the important doubles rubber South Africa’s way‚” confirmed Ondruska.“Lloyd is our young gun with a big game‚ extremely talented and he played a solid debut singles rubber against Luxembourg and will be an important of the team.SA’s most recognised tennis star‚ Kevin Anderson‚ who is currently ranked 24 in the world‚ continues to be unavailable for the SA team.Dean O’Brien‚ who was part of the team that took on Luxembourg earlier in the year‚ is also unavailable for next week’s tie.- TMG Digital..

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.