UAE's task cut out in Davis Cup

Dubai: A top official from Tennis Emirates is optimistic of the UAE's chances as they open their Davis Cup campaign in the Asia/Oceania Group III contest in Tehran today.

"We could not have asked for a better group. We need to win at least two matches to be safe in Group III for yet another year," Nasser Madani, member of the Tennis Emirates Board of Directors told Gulf News yesterday.

The UAE is along with Pakistan, Vietnam and Syria in Group A of the Asia/Oceania Group III starting in Tehran from today. The UAE is most likely to face Vietnam in their opening match to be held later today.

"Pakistan is a strong opponent in our group, but we, at least, have some chance against Syria and Vietnam, though we are playing without Omar Behroozian this year," Madani said.

Team composition

Behroozian underwent a surgery earlier this month after suffering a knee injury.

UAE's No 1 Mahmoud Nader will lead the team's challenge along with juniors Hamad Abbas Al Janahi, Faisal Bastaki and Khalid Al Hassani making up the rest of the squad.

"We may look a bit ill-equipped this year with the team composition. But we can safely go into the matches with some sort of confidence based on our previous results against Syria and Vietnam," Madani noted.

Group B consists of Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Malaysia and hosts Iran.

The competition format is such that the top two nations from each pool advance to a further round-robin pool of four, from which the teams finishing first and second are promoted to Asia/Oceania Group II for 2009.

The bottom two nations in each pool will advance to a further round-robin pool of four, from which the teams finishing third and fourth are relegated to Asia/Oceania Zone Group IV in 2009.

"Given this scenario, our task is cut out - we need to win at least two matches," Madani concluded.