BARCA STAR TO HELP ESWATINI TENNIS!

MBABANE – Gerard Pique, the Spanish FC Barcelona defender, plays for a team with a pay-off line that says it is “more than just a club,”.
Indeed, it has been proven true as yesterday, his Company’s proposal to revamp the Davis Cup is coming with huge benefits for Eswatini National Tennis Association.

The Davis Cup is one of the world’s largest international tennis team competitions. A revised format of the tournament has the backing of FC Barcelona superstar defender Pique, who leads investment group Cosmos, which is backed by Japanese billionaire Hiroshi Mikitani.

The money that will be raised will be put back to the nations that include Eswatini for their development programmes and the future of tennis.

Despite resistance from countries that included Germany and Australia, a two-thirds majority among the 140 nations was needed at the International Tennis Federation (ITF)’s annual general meeting held at Orlando, USA, yesterday. The country is represented by ENTA President Maxwell Jele. The bid was successful after 71 per cent of the countries voted in its favour.

It is a 25-year plan worth over billions of Emalangeni and it is funded by the investment group led by Pique. It will start in 2019. Jele confirmed the latest developments yesterday, announcing bigger lined up projects to benefit Eswatini.
“We just concluded discussion about Eswatini Tennis Centre funding for phase two, to be funded by the International Tennis Federation by end of this year,” said Jele.

Phase one of the Eswatini Tennis Centre worth about E1 million is almost complete. ITF funded the project, paying at least half of the costs.
Meanwhile, according to media reports across the globe that include BBC, 16 nations compete  in a

straight knockout during the Davis Cup, while the remaining countries are divided into three regional zones depending on their location. It is played in February, April and September and November at home and away venues, with each World Group tie played over three days in a best-of-five tie of five-set matches.

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