A new era will be launched for South Africa's Davis Cup team next year, while the Billie Jean King Cup squad will carry stable leadership into the new campaign, with the captains of the national tennis teams being unveiled by Tennis South Africa (TSA) for the next four-year cycle.
Having guided the SA women's team into the Europe-Africa Zone Group II division in 2025, after being promoted from Group III this season, Roxanne Clarke has retained her position as BJK Cup captain.
There will be a change in the men's team, however, with former Olympic silver medallist Pietie Norval being appointed captain of the Davis Cup side.
Norval replaces former captain Christo van Rensburg (who spent four years at the helm) and he will lead the squad against Nigeria in their World Group II playoff clash in Pretoria in February.
Clarke, who was appointed in January 2021, is a well-qualified and experienced coach who has spearheaded national teams at various levels of the sport.
A former collegiate player herself, Clarke was Team SA coach at the African Games in Ghana earlier this year, as well as the ITF/CAT African Junior Championships at the last three editions of the continental age group showpiece.
She said she was eager to take further steps forward with the SA squad in the BJK Cup after their promotion to the Group II division next season.
"I'm honoured that TSA has put its faith in me to lead our women's national team once again," Clarke said.
"I'm proud of the team we've built in the last four years and I'm confident that we can build on that success. We have a great crop of young players and it's a really exciting time, so I'm looking forward to working with TSA to continue leading this team."
A former professional player, Norval won 14 titles on the ATP circuit during his career (including the French Open doubles title) and he paired up with Wayne Ferreira to secure the silver medal in the men's doubles at the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992.
The founder of the Norval Tennis Academy, he has coached multiple international players and has guided 53 junior players to national titles.
Taking the baton from Van Rensburg, he said he was eager to lift the national team higher up the Davis Cup ladder.
"It's a huge privilege for me to be appointed as the next Davis Cup captain. It's amazing and I am really excited at the prospect of being able to be of service to my country in this regard," Norval said.
"I've done it on the tennis side for so many years and the last thing for me was to be appointed as my country's Davis Cup captain, so it's a huge honour and I really hope I can make a difference for the team.
"I've got quite a bit of experience from the past as a player, having learned from different Davis Cup captains and how they've done it under pressure, and I hope I can take that experience with me into the next few years.
"I'm going to give it 100 percent, and hopefully some of our younger players will progress in the next few years and we can get back into that World Group where I think we belong."
Clarke and Norval have penned contracts to lead the national teams between 2025-2028.