Lebanon is set for an important match against Japan on February 2 and 3 in Cairo, Egypt, as part of the "Davis Cup" tennis competition. The winner will qualify for the World Group I, the "elite group," while the loser will drop to World Group II. The teams will meet on the main court of the Sporting Club in Cairo.
Lebanese team coach and former international player Fadi Youssef stated that the players' preparations are going well, with key team members Benjamin Hassan and Hadi Habib participating in international tournaments where they earn points to add to their rankings in the International Tennis Federation’s periodic classification.
Hassan recently competed in the qualifiers for the Australian Open and will return to Germany to continue his training in preparation for representing Lebanon against Japan. Meanwhile, Habib is staying focused on his training for the upcoming international challenge. The Lebanese Tennis Federation will announce the names of its delegation that will face Japan on Egyptian soil, noting that the court chosen by coach Youssef in Egypt is clay, which suits the Lebanese team's playing style, unlike their opponent's.
Japan, headed by Kenichiro Yamaniuchi, first participated in the "Davis Cup" in 1921, achieving its best result as runners-up in that initial participation, and currently ranks 24th in the country rankings. In contrast, Lebanon ranks 48th. Lebanon made its first appearance in the Davis Cup in 1957 and aims to return to its "natural position" within the first group if it wins against Japan.
