Tough Cup draw for Ja

By Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport

JAMAICA FACE a daunting task to advance to the Davis Cup America Zone Group Two after the release of the draw for next year's Group Three tournament which will be held in El Salvador.

The island has toiled in Group Three for a number of years and the draw for the April 1-7 2002 event on clay did the Jamaicans few favours as they have been bracketed with Costa Rica, Haiti and Honduras in a tough Group B of the eight-team event.

Group A comprises hosts El Salvador, Panama, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

"I think we have probably got the toughest group," national coach Douglas Burke said yesterday. "But it all depends on who plays for the teams we are up against."

While Honduras can be considered relative lightweights, Costa Rica and Haiti could feature two of the best players in the tournament.

Costa Rica, relegated from Group Two this year, are led by 26-year-old Juan Antonio Marin who boasts a current ATP Champions Race ranking of 133 while Haiti could be spearheaded by evergreen Ronald Agenor. His ranking has dropped from 124 to 191 this year but he remains clearly the best Caribbean player on the tour.

At the 2000 Group Three event staged here at the Liguanea Club, Haiti lost their clash to Jamaica and ultimately plummeted to Group Four. However, that squad lacked the services of 36-year-old Agenor. He represented the team this year and catapulted the Haitians straight back up without losing a singles or doubles clash.

"Those players (Marin and Agenor) are obviously ones to be reckoned with," Burke said. "Marin's doing reasonably well on the tour and although Agenor is in the twilight of his career, he's a very good player on clay.

"However, it remains to be seen if they will play and even if they do, Davis Cup tennis is not a one-man game.

"I am sure our guys will acquit themselves well on clay and against whomever they have to play," he said.

Jamaica just missed promotion to Group Two this year when they were upset in the semi-finals in Havana by Trinidad and Tobago.

Back to Sport