South Africa’s Davis Cup team remains stuck in the tournament’s World Group II after suffering a defeat without managing to win a single set in their tie against Bosnia & Herzegovina this past weekend at the Irene Country Club. 

South Africa’s captain, Pietie Norval, and his team will have to fight their way toward a shot at promotion again next year, after Bosnia & Herzegovina made a clean sweep by winning the tie 3-0.

After South Africa lost both opening singles rubbers in straight sets on Saturday, the same fate befell their doubles team of Philip Henning and Alec Beckley on Sunday. They were defeated 6-4; 6-4 by the Bosnia & Herzegovina pairing of Mirza Basic and Nerman Fatic, and by 12:30 on Sunday afternoon, the contest between the two teams was over, with the visitors from Eastern Europe holding a 3-0 lead.

The teams did, however, agree to complete one of the reverse singles rubbers. South Africa’s Thando Longwe-Smit played against Andrej Nedić, Bosnia & Herzegovina’s number two player, in this so-called “dead rubber.” The decision to go ahead with this rubber was likely made to give Longwe-Smit some playing time during the tie, while also offering spectators supporting both teams better value for their money by allowing them to watch at least two rubbers on the second day of the tie.

Nedić, who defeated South Africa’s number one player, Philip Henning, 6-4; 6-4 on Saturday, also dispatched Longwe-Smit in straight sets (7-6; 6-1).

In Saturday’s second singles rubber, Bosnia & Herzegovina’s top player, Damir Džumhur, beat his South African opponent, Kholo Montsi, 6-4, 7-5.

Although Norval was disappointed with the outcome of the tie and admitted that his team was soundly beaten by a side that was “simply too good” for the South Africans, he remained positive about the future.

“We had a couple of plans to try to give ourselves the best chance, but they came out a bit better than I thought,” Norval said.

Norval was adamant that he is confident about the future with the current squad at his disposal, and he believes they can all still improve dramatically as individual players.

When asked what needed to change regarding the current circumstances facing South Africa’s players, Norval was equally adamant that changes were already underway.

According to the SA Davis Cup captain, more tournaments on the new ITF World Tennis Tour (formerly known as ATP “Futures” tournaments) are currently being hosted in South Africa, creating opportunities for local players to compete at an international level.

Norval also revealed that he and Tennis SA are in regular contact with one of the team’s former members, Lloyd Harris. According to Norval, the former Capetonian who is currently ranked 136th on the ATP rankings, is definitely still part of his plans. However, he noted that it is Harris’ choice not to make himself available for his country’s Davis Cup team.

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