Tennis Jamaica names technical panel ahead of Group 2 Davis Cup tie
Published:Tuesday | August 8, 2023 | 12:10 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica’s Group 2 Davis Cup tie against Lebanon on September 15 and 16 in Jounieh, Lebanon, has now been confirmed and Tennis Jamaica president John Azar believes that the three-man technical panel they have put in place will ensure a smooth preparation for the tie.
Manager Errol Campbell heads the technical panel while the other two members are coach Noel Rutherford and captain Mel Spence. They will make recommendations on the selection and preparation of the team.
With selection policies being a bone of contention in the past, Azar believes this move will make team selection easier going forward.
“When the Tennis Jamaica board appointed Mel, Noel and Errol for this upcoming campaign, we were honoured that they had each agreed to serve. Their combined wealth of experience, along with their respective strengths, will no doubt prove invaluable to the overall preparation and performance of the team in Lebanon.
“Anyone who has followed tennis in Jamaica over the past 50 years would be well aware of their tennis pedigree and would likewise understand how proud we are to have each playing a critical role in the national senior programme and this upcoming tie,” Azar said.
So far the panel has unanimously recommended that Blaise Bicknell, Randy Phillips, John Chin and Daniel Azar, all of whom took part in the February home tie against Estonia, be selected to the team, providing they pass a fitness test.
Daniel Azar injured his ankle at an International Tennis Federation (ITF) event in April and is now recuperating.
It has also been agreed that trials will be held between a maximum of five players, with the winner of those trials being automatically selected as the fifth and final member of the team.
The player placing second will secure an alternate spot should any member of the official five-man team be unable to compete.
The trials are scheduled to start on August 10.
Meanwhile, Jamaica is expected to face a very difficult tie against the Lebanese, whose team will likely include Benjamin Hassan and Hady Habib ranked 250 and 404 in the world, respectively. Bicknell, Jamaica’s highest ranked player, is at 564.
However, Azar believes the additions to the technical staff give them a much better chance.
“I have no doubt that the combined experience of these three gentlemen will strengthen our technical expertise. Lebanon is a tough team on paper but our guys are in good form. We will focus on what we can control which is our preparation and execution and I am confident in our chances of getting the win once we play to the best of our ability.”