Tennis South Africa Splits Davis Cup, Fed Cup Jobs

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 3rd December 2013

Tennis South Africa Splits Davis Cup, Fed Cup Jobs

epa02341244 South Africa's Izak van der Merwe talks toÂ South African team manager John-Laffnie de Jager during the Davis Cup relegation match Germany versus South Africa in Stuttgart, Germany, 17 September 2010. The German team won in four sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 and 7-6. EPA/Marijan Murat |

Tennis South Africa has decided to hire separate captains for the nation’s Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams, a combined job John-Laffnie de Jager has been doing for eight years.

De Jager’s contract ends in December and he will apply for the Davis Cup job, but someone else will handle Fed Cup duties.

“We want to be transparent regarding the procedure and will give all those interested in the position the chance to make an application,” TSA vice-president and acting CEO Gavin Crookes told Sapa. “In fact, with John-Laffnie’s contract expiring at the end of December, we have extended it for a month by mutual consent in order for him to handle the South African team for the Davis Cup tie against Monaco at the Irene Country Club early next year.”

South Africa was relegated this year to the Euro-Africa Group Two segment after a 5-0 defeat in at the hands of Russia. South Africa’s top player, No. 20 Kevin Anderson, has declined to make himself available for Davis Cup duty and the country doesn’t have any other singles players ranked in the top 150 to back him up.

“I’m hoping to continue my work with the Davis Cup squad,” De Jager said. “I’m already busy confirming which players will be available for the Monaco tie. Good news is that Izak van der Merwe, who was out of tennis for much of 2013 after a foot and ankle surgery, is preparing to return to tournament competition in January.”

Without their top player, Channel Scheepers, the South Africa Fed Cup team still managed to best a Kaia Kanepi–less Estonian team to remain in the Europe/Africa Zone Group II for next year.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Channel Scheepers, Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Gavin Crookes, Izak van der Merwe, John Laffnie de Jager, Kaia Kanepi, Kevin Anderson, Tennis, Tennis News