New Zealand davis cup team confirmed

The New Zealand Davis Cup tennis team for next month’s Asia Oceania Group I tie, Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, against Uzbekistan has been confirmed with one new name in the line up.

The March 4-6 first round tie on clay at Namangan in Eastern Uzbekistan will see New Zealand national champion Artem Sitak make his Davis Cup debut.

Sitak, 25 has a current ATP singles ranking of 351, having been as high as 299 in 2008. His doubles ranking sits at 182. Sitak who was born in Orenburg, Russia, but has been based in New Zealand and became eligible to play for New Zealand earlier this year.

Sitak will join Kiwi No1 Michael Venus who is ranked at 346 and Rubin Statham and Marcus Daniell in the side.

Not considered for selection was Kiwi No3 Dan King-Turner who is injured and 2010 Davis Cup player Austen Childs who is still completing University in the United States.

Statham has a 16 win, three loss record in Davis Cup singles, while Venus became the first New Zealander to reach a Challenger final when he made the title playoff at the Karshi Challenger last year. Daniell was the 2010 doubles winner at the Heineken Open and Sitak is a seasoned player at Challenger level as well as having numerous ITF Futures titles to his credit.

The tie will be played in the Eastern city of Namangan which is just over three hours drive from the capital, Tashkent. The city has a population of close to 450,000 and will host the tie on temporary laid clay court at the Pahlavon Sport Complex.

Uzbekistan have a top 100 ranked player in the form of Denis Istomin and are likely to use Farrukh Dustov who is ranked at 302 in the world but has been as high as 173 four years ago. Istomin is ranked at 53, but was as high as 39 last year after reaching the final at the ATP event in New Haven. He also has a number of wins over top 20 ranked players.

NZ Davis Cup captain Marcel Vos, currently in Turkey with Michael and Marcus, “Uzbekistan will be a tough team. They have a top 100 player, but in saying that. We have good depth in our team and all of the New Zealand players are keyed up to play in Group I again.

"Uzbekistan officially name their team next week, provided Istomin, a top 50 ATP player, is named, it will offer a tough challenge for us on the clay in Uzbekistan. In saying that we have shown last year we are able to find a way to win and as we are now back in Group I after an seven year absence, we are keen to work of that momentum", says Vos.



"Artem’s eligibility for Davis Cup is a big boost to our squad and will add a lot of depth and options to our team while Michael and Marcus are still relatively new to the team they are very committed and Rubin has a great Davis Cup record and always gives it his all, no matter who he is up against. It’s a real opportunity for the team to rise to the occasion.”

The New Zealand Davis Cup team to play Uzbekistan is the first under the new Davis Cup selection panel of former Kiwi professionals and experienced coaches Alistair Hunt, Jeff Simpson, Kelly Evernden along with current captain Marcel Vos.

The team will arrive in Tashkent the weekend February 25-26 before heading to Namangan.

New Zealand Davis Cup Team for March 4-6 tie v Uzbekistan at Namanagan, Uzbekistan:

(Name, Age, Singles Rank Doubles Rank)
Michael Venus, 23, Singles Rank 346, Doubles Rank 627.
Artem Sitak, 25, 351, 182.
Rubin Statham, 23, 496, 258.
Marcus Daniell, 21, 785, 523.
Non-playing captain – Marcel Vos