Tennis ace off to Davis Cup in Syria

Tuesday 7: Brett Baudinet (above) heads off to Syria this week as a member of the Pacific Oceania Davis Cup tennis team.

Baudinet, who has been in the Pacific team since 2000, says they have high hopes of progressing beyond the Asia/Oceania group three at the tournament.

“We’re hoping that we can move up to group two.”

There will be eight teams at the tournament, including the host country, Iran, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan.

There will be two pools of four teams, with the top two teams progressing to group two.

In between running his new High Tide bar and restaurant, Baudinet has been putting in the hours on the tennis court with Malcolm Kajer, and on the squash court as well.

“It’s been pretty busy with training and running my new business.”

It will be his first time to Syria but he is looking forward to the trip.

Baudinet will leave this week with the tournament beginning on April 13.

The other three players in the team are from Samoa, Solomons and Vanuatu. They will be accompanied by a coach/manager. - Moana Moeka’a