The Lebanese tennis team will seek to repeat its victory over its Taiwanese counterpart in the decisive confrontation within the Davis Cup competitions, as the two teams will meet next Saturday and Sunday, corresponding to February 7 and 8, in the “Taipei Tennis Center Hall” on a hard court.
Winning this match gives the qualifier a place in the first global group, a position that Lebanon deserves, as it has previously reached it in the past.
The two teams previously met in 2018 in Lebanon, and the Cedars won. Now, the Taiwanese national team seeks revenge for its defeat eight years ago, while Lebanon aspires to renew its victory over its East Asian rival.
Before traveling to Taiwan, the players conducted their final training on the courts of the Notre Dame University Tennis Academy in Zouk Mosbeh, under the supervision of national coach Fadi Youssef, and in the presence of the President of the Lebanese Tennis Federation, Alain Sayegh, his deputy, Nassib Haddad, and the federation’s member, Raymond Katoura, in addition to the male and female age group teams. A friendly meeting took place between the players of the Davis Cup team and the players of the age group teams, who wished the Lebanese team success in facing Taiwan.
The training was also attended by representatives of the press and media, who met with the mission.
Sayegh stressed that the confrontation against Taiwan is of great importance, because the winner will qualify for the first world group, noting that the players of the Taiwanese team are ahead in the world rankings issued by the International Tennis Federation, and wishing success to the Cedar Country mission in Taiwan.
For his part, Coach Youssef stated that the players will do their best to present a bright image of Lebanese tennis, which has achieved great achievements on the foreign level, especially in the Davis Cup competition. Player Hadi Habib expressed his hope of achieving victory for Lebanon, stressing his complete readiness to play the match, which was also confirmed by player Benjamin Hassan, who believed that victory over Taiwan in its stadium would be a “crossing bridge” to the first world group.
It is noteworthy that Taiwan ranks 28th in the international classification with a score of 313.75 points, while Lebanon ranks 51st with a score of 262.25 points. Historically, Lebanon began its Davis Cup campaign in 1957, and played 115 matches, winning 63 and losing 52. It achieved victory in its last confrontation over Barbados 4-0 on Egyptian soil last September.
