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By Ian Smit 
24m in the past
CAPE TOWN – South Africa’s main tennis gamers have missed out on a golden alternative to rub shoulders with the world’s greatest on the ATP Cup forward of the Australian Open in Melbourne in February.
Attributable to calendar shifts associated to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 ATP Cup area was downsized from 24 to 12 groups and SA who’re hovering in 14th place within the workforce rankings, missed out. The world’s 11 main groups and host nation Australia certified for the occasion beginning on 1 February.
SA wanted one among their singles gamers to have a a lot increased world rating as was the case in January 2020 when Kevin Anderson was listed on this planet’s prime 10. Presently, Anderson is at 82 and Lloyd Harris is at 90 on the most recent rankings.
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The 38-year-old doubles specialist Raven Klaasen is presently SA’s highest-ranked participant. He has a world doubles rating of 18 and that alone helps the workforce to succeed in a prime 20 place.
This yr’s area contains world No 1 Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal (2), Dominic Thiem (3), Daniil Medvedev (4), Stefanos Tsitsipas (6) and Alexander Zverev (7). Usually, SA don’t face world prime 10 groups within the Davis Cup.
Final yr SA managed one pool win out of three matches after they beat Chile.
Jeff Coetzee, Tennis SA’s director of tennis, mentioned South Africans would have beloved to have been a part of the occasion once more. He added that since this yr’s occasion will likely be per week earlier than the Australian Open, SA’s main gamers would have been up in opposition to gamers who have been taking part in within the yr’s first grand slam.
“We have been so privileged to be a part of such a singular occasion final yr,” mentioned Coetzee.
“We did effectively as a workforce and we’re trying ahead to being a part of the ATP Cup in 2021.
“We’re all disenchanted that we couldn’t be a part of the 2021 ATP Cup. Final yr we may measure ourselves in opposition to the world’s main gamers, and who will overlook how Djokovic solely simply made it previous Kevin Anderson.
“We have been additionally capable of embrace 17-year-old Khololwam Montsi within the workforce and as one of many nation’s best prospects he was capable of study a lot within the workforce surroundings.”
Klaasen mentioned ATP Cup helped to offer a singular workforce surroundings in the beginning of the yr.
“We loved success and reminiscences from the occasion final yr. We’re trying ahead to taking part in the ATP Cup in 2022 when hopefully the sphere will return to 24 groups,” mentioned Klaasen.
The Australian Open begins on 8 February.
IOL Sport
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