Dean O’Brien. Photo: Jacaranda FM
With neither Kevin Anderson nor the recuperating Izak van der Merwe available to play, South Africa will have one new player in their squad for the upcoming first-round playoff tie again Slovenia in Ljubljana from September 13 to 15.
Dean O’Brien, 23, will join stalwarts Rik de Voest and Raven Klaasen, along with Ruan Roelofse and Nikala Scholtz in the five-man squad announced by Tennis South Africa (TSA).
This is a crucial tie as the losers will have to face Russia in the final relegation playoff to see who remains in Euro/Africa Zone Group 1 and who will drop to Group 2 next year. Victory in Slovenia will see South Africa automatically stay in Group 1.
The tie will be played outdoors on red cay at the TS Bezigrad.
Anderson, who is currently ranked 19 in the world, his highest ever world ranking, is again unavailable for the tie while Van der Merwe remains injured and has a protected ranking.
“I am very honoured and excited to be playing in Slovenia,” said O’Brien, who currently holds an ATP singles ranking of 605.
“To be part of the South African Davis Cup team and to represent my country is an amazing achievement. It has been a dream and a goal of mine since I was a junior.”
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