Pretoria residents were able to see the national Davis Cup tennis team in action for the first time since February 2018 this past weekend when they faced Nigeria in a Group II playoff match at the Groenkloof Tennis Centre, home of Gauteng North Tennis.

Thanks to two singles victories by former Bloemfontein star Philip Henning (photo), as well as a doubles victory by Henning and Alec Beckley, South Africa was able to clinch the tie with a score of 3-1.

The South Africans, who were seeded much higher than the Nigerian team, suffered a major shock on day one when Christopher Bulus (world ranking 1018) of the North African team defeated South Africa’s number two player, Kris van Wyk (currently number 358 in the world) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) to level the tie at 1-all.

Fortunately, Henning was in better shape and was able to save the situation on day two.

This past weekend’s tie was the first under South Africa’s new Davis Cup captain, Pietie Norval.

Norval, a doubles specialist in his playing days who won the Olympic silver medal with Wayne Ferreira in 1992, recently replaced Christo van Rensburg in the position.

After this victory, South Africa will remain in Group II and they will only find out later who their opponent will be in their next tie in September, as well as where it will be played.

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