After four years without having any presence on the world map of tennis, Cuba returns in June 2013 to the Davis Cup, the men’s largest annual international team competition in world tennis, organized by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) since 1900.
The Cuban team, which hasn’t made it to the World Group for 20 years, will play in La Paz, capital of Bolivia. Its last participation in qualifying stages was in 2009, when it was defeated by El Salvador (3-0) and Bolivia (2 – 1) in the American Group III. Precisely in that same Group III, this times are the Bolivians, Cuba’s first opponents at this stage of the Cup, which determines the promotion to Group II.
Group two is comprised of Bahamas, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Honduras, U.S. Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Panama and Paraguay.
None of the players with a chance to represent Cuba appears in the ATP individual world ranking (Association of Tennis Professionals), led by Novak Djokovic (12,960 points), or the doubles ranking, which is dominated by American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan.
Alberto Fernandez, the Cuban captain, can count on Randy Blanco, considered the greatest player of today, and youngsters Ernesto Alfonso, Omar Hernandez, Roberto Cruz and William Dorante.
Cuba’s last participation in World Group dates back to 1993, when it fell 5-0 versus Sweden, and in a playoff matchup suffered the same fate against Russia.
Author
Raúl Antúnez
