Sri Lanka face Paraguay in inaugural World Group appearance

Davis Cup 2020

The Sri Lanka National Tennis Team will take on Paraguay in their inaugural World Group II encounter this March in Club Internacional de Tenis, Asuncion, Paraguay on 6-7 March.

Sri Lanka has been in the Davis Cup mix for 60 years now and has dabbled in the Group IV, Group III and Group II play-off’s regularly. After a successful battle last year in Group III, Team Sri Lanka managed to secure their spot for 2020. However, with ITF introducing a new format of play, Sri Lanka received a promotion up to World Group II.

The ITF has announced an expanded format for the Davis Cup Group I and Group II competition, which will be played on a worldwide basis from 2020, providing increased opportunities for all competing nations.

The new format will see the creation of a Davis Cup World Group I and World Group II immediately below the top tier of the competition, replacing the regional Group I and Group II ties currently being played in Americas, Asia/Oceania and Europe/Africa. 

Twelve home-and-away World Group II Play-offs will be played at the same time as the twelve 2020 Davis Cup by Rakuten Qualifiers and twelve World Group I Play-offs.

The 12 winning nations from the World Group II Play-offs will compete in World Group II ties in September 2020 along with the losing nations from the World Group I Play-offs.

The losing nations from the World Group II Play-offs will compete in their Regional Group III in June/July or September 2020. Harshana Godamanna will be missing the Davis Cup this year due to a travel ban pertaining his permanent residency in the United States of America.

However, three experienced campaigners in the likes of Dineshkanthan Thangarajah, Sharmal Dissanayake and Yasitha De Silva are still in their playing kits for Team Lanka with Tehan Wijemanne debuting on the team.

Sri Lankan performance wear brand RBN takes up the role of Official clothing sponsor for the national team at the 2020 Davis Cup. 

“Providing out technology to support local talent in international arenas like the Davis Cup is a mission for us,” Kishani Vethavinayakam, Head of RBN Business Development explained when asked about their contribution. 

The team will be coached by the well-seasoned hands of Sudantha Soyza, who has been a regular in the coaching seat of the National Davis Cup team for many years now. This will be the first meeting for the two teams in the history of the Davis Cup. The team is set to leave for Paraguay on 28 February for the two-day 

play-offs.