Sport | Tennis

Zeeshan rallies Davis Cup team

The UAE tennis coach has made a strong appeal for the national team to start getting their campaign for the 2009 Davis Cup on track at the earliest opportunity.

  • By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
  • Published: 00:17 April 16, 2008
  • Gulf News

Dubai: The UAE tennis coach has made a strong appeal for the national team to start getting their campaign for the 2009 Davis Cup on track at the earliest opportunity.

"We had an opportunity to at least stay back in Group 3, but we blew it due to our inexperience. We need to turn the page and start preparations for next year," national team coach Zeeshan Ali told Gulf News after his squad's return from Tehran on Monday.

Pitted in Group A along with Pakistan, Syria and Vietnam, the UAE lost all their matches and ended up playing the competition's second leg against teams such as Sri Lanka and Tajikistan.

But lack of experience, coupled with the absence of key player Omar Behroozian, saw the UAE lose their next two matches and get demoted to Group 4 for next year.

"Honestly, when we left for Tehran no one expected us to return with a promotion to Group 2, but they definitely expected us to stay back in Group 3 despite the absence of Omar," said Zeeshan.

The UAE had led against Vietnam 5-2 in the first set through Mahmoud Nader, but were forced to replace him with junior member Faisal Bastaki after he suffered a groin strain. Vietnam went on to win.

The coach, a former member of the Indian Davis Cup team, now hopes the players will concentrate on their fitness.

"I think we lagged behind in this department, and we need to start taking measures," he added.

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