Sri Lanka ready for historic Davis Cup tie in Paraguay
Sri Lanka will make Davis Cup history when they take on Paraguay in their inaugural World Group II tie in Asuncion on March 6 and 7. Veteran national coach Sudantha Soyza will captain Sri Lanka for the first time in this historic tie against a Latin American nation.
“I don’t like doing the captain’s job. It is massive because he is the one which spearhead decision which are made on courts, controlling what happens, etc. He handles everything and has basically got the biggest responsibility,” said Sudantha who played at the Junior Wimbledon Championship in 1986 and was a member of the Sri Lanka men’s squad for the Davis Cup tie against Pakistan that year.
Sri Lanka will be missing the services of experienced Harshana Godamanna who played a big hand in the Asian group II ties against Thailand and Indonesia in Singapore last year.
“We were not given much of a chance but we played very well. Harshana was there and pulled all his matches because of that we got a chance to go to the World Group II play-offs,” said Sudantha.
Sri Lanka has been in the Davis Cup mix for 60 years playing in Group IV, Group III and Group II play-offs regularly but with the ITF (International Tennis Federation) introducing a new format of play, the Lankans got a promotion to World Group II. The new format will see the creation of a Davis Cup World Group I and World Group II immediately below the top tier of the competition, regplacing the regional Group I and Group II ties currently being in Americas, Asia/Oceania and Europe/Africa.
Twelve home-and-away World Group II Play-offs will be played at the same time as the twelve 2020 Davis Cup by Rakuten Qualifiers and 12 World Group I Play-offs.
The 12 winning nations from the World Group II Play-offs will compete in World Group II ties in September 2020 along with the losing nations from the World Group I Play-offs.
The losing nations from the World Group II Play-offs will compete in their Regional Group III in June/July or September 2020.
Sri Lanka will have three experienced campaigners Dineshkanthan Thangarajah, Sharmal Dissanayake and Yasitha de Silva while 16-year-old Thehan Wijemanne will be making his debut.
“He comes from a very good lineage being the nephew of Kumar Sangakkara. His aunt (Saranga) was one of Sri Lanka’s best tennis players. His father Sanjay Wijemanne, a Davis Cup player was my doubles partner. He has got a big future because there is a bit of gap between present team which is aging and the juniors coming up. He has to work hard. He is totally talented but hands need to be stronger. Thehan he is one of our best juniors. He has come a long way in 2019 and done very well in Nationals,” said Sudantha of the baby of the team who has gelled with the senior hands in the side.
“I feel really lucky and honoured to be part of the team. Sharmal has been my role model when I was small. It will be a good experience,” said Thehan who won six out of eight matches when trials were held to select the national team for the Davis Cup tie.