Wheelchair Tennis South Africa (WTSA) has named three strong teams to represent the country in the prestigious 2019 BNP Paribas World Team Cup, the International Tennis Federation (ITF)'s flagship wheelchair tennis team event, to be hosted by the Israel Tennis Association (ITA) at the Larry and Mary Greenspon Israel Tennis Centre in Ramat Hasharon on 13-18 May.
The BNP Paribas World Team Cup is often referred to as the Davis and Fed Cups of wheelchair tennis. The initial event took place in California in 1985 involving six men’s teams. The women's competition began the following year, with quad and junior events introduced in 1998 and 2000 respectively.
Over 100 teams from around 50 countries will take part in this year's competition. Teams will contest the men's World Group (12 nations), men's World Group 2 (12 nations), women's World Group (12 nations), quad event (8 teams) and junior event (8 teams).
Both the country's men and women's teams qualified for the event after a triumphant display at the BNP Paribas African Qualifying event in Kenya last month.
Some of the notable players to represent South Africa in the team event include Wimbledon semifinalist Kgothatso Montjane, the country's top men's player Evans Maripa and two-time Grand Slam champion Lucas Sithole.
The team will have a training camp from 10-11 May at The Bryanston Country Club in Johannesburg before jetting off this weekend.
The teams are as follows:
MEN
- Evans Maripa
- Leon Els
- Alwande Sikhosana
WOMEN
- Kgothatso Montjane
- Mariska Venter
- Mabel Mankgele
QUADS
- Lucas Sithole
- Donald Ramphadi
- Danny Mohlamonyane