For the umpteenth time, Nigeria’s quest for promotion to Europe/Africa Zone of Group II failed again in Cairo, the quartet of Joseph Imeh, Sylvester Emmanuel, Abdulmumuni Babalola and Clifford Enosoregbe finished fifth to remain in Group III for 2018.
In the Europe/Africa Zone of Group III battle for promotion, which took place at Cairo-based Solaimaneyah Club, nine teams made up of host – Egypt, Nigeria, Benin, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Algeria, Rwanda, Libya and Botswana competed for the two promotion slots for six days.
At the end of the tournament, it was Egypt and Zimbabwe that moved up to Group II in 2018, while Nigeria managed to finish fifth in the group after beating Algeria in the classification match.
Having started its campaigns in Group A made up of Egypt, Zimbabwe and Rwanda, Nigeria fell to Egypt and Zimbabwe and managed the only win in the group against neophyte – Rwanda to escape competing in the relegation match.
However, the battle for the fifth and sixth place, it was Imeh and Emmanuel that salvaged the victory for Nigeria as they defeated Algeria’s Hichem Yasri and Youcef Ghezal 6-3, 6-3 and 6-3, 6-4 respectively for the country to finish fifth in Group III.
Nigeria’s quest for promotion to the top has been for over a decade now and now the country will have to return to its trench to repeat the 1988 and 1989 feats when the country reached the Group I semifinals.
Nigeria’s maiden appearance in Davis Cup was in 1974.