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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

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We need Knowles to return for Davis Cup By SHELDON LONGLEY ~ NG Sports Editor ~ slongley@nasguard.com: In tennis, this is another huge year for The Bahamas. The country has yet another chance to return to the prestigious Americas Zone Group I in Davis Cup play, and it will be interesting to see if veteran Mark Knowles offers his assistance once again, in doubles. The country last played at that level five years ago, when it lost a relegation tie to Venezuela in September of 2003. The country even slipped further to the Americas Zone Group III in 2006, before returning to Group II at the beginning of last year. In 1993, led by Knowles and Roger Smith, the country had its best ever performance in Davis Cup when it advanced to a World Group playoff against the powerful United States. The Bahamas lost 5-0, but it was a historic moment nonetheless. As for Knowles, he is the most productive player in the 20-year history of Davis Cup play for The Bahamas in both singles and doubles, having compiled a 23-25 record in singles, and an 18-7 record in doubles. In 2003, the savvy veteran was on top of his game, but was inexplicably left out of the Davis Cup picture, as the local association cited a decision to put a greater focus on the younger athletes and infiltrate them into their futuristic plans, as the reason. From back then, they were looking for a changing of the guard in local tennis. It was good intentions on their part, but there is no doubt that they went about it the wrong way. Quite frankly, it reminded me of a former Tribune Sports Editor's column calling for the retirement of our local tennis icon. I could certainly understand the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association's plan for the future in trying to get more youngsters involved, but in 2003, a then 31-year-old Mark Knowles was still in his prime and undoubtedly still had much to offer the country in Davis Cup. One needs to look no further than his performances over the last five years for validation on that matter. One answer veterans Knowles and Smith have given for years, when asked about the inability of The Bahamas to stay in Group I, would be that "the gap was never bridged." There weren't enough, if any, programs available in the schools, particularly the government school sector, and tennis courts, rackets and tennis balls were almost nonexistent in the grass root areas of New Providence not to mention the Family Islands. The game of tennis itself was quite costly to play and was still considered a foreign activity in many of the local communities right here in The Bahamas. Be that as it may, the year 2004 represented a new era for Bahamian tennis with the younger generation being afforded the opportunity to carry on what legends like Knowles and Smith started almost 20 years ago. With that immense pressure suddenly slapped on their shoulders, there is no wonder why The Bahamas struggled in those rebuilding years in Davis Cup - so much so, that Knowles was brought back on the scene last year to help the country remain in Group II. There was no doubt that we should have gotten the younger players more involved, but the point here is that the process should have been an ongoing one over the past 20 years and certainly more gradual when it came to taking over Davis Cup play completely. Knowles and Smith were right - the gap was never bridged, but thankfully, the game itself is becoming more accessible to the younger generation, particularly in the inner cities in New Providence which bodes well for the future. On top of that, more and more youngsters are growing an appreciation and a love for the game of tennis. Who knows? Maybe we as a country could reach that doorstep of the elite World Group once again, but this time slam right through it instead of being turned away. This year, The Bahamas has another unique opportunity in Davis Cup play. In March, a small team will travel to Lambare, Paraguay to face a tough Paraguayan team which knocked off The Bahamas, even with Knowles on board, at the BLTA's National Tennis Centre last year. That first Tie of 2009 will be held March 6-8 on clay courts in Paraguay. A win would assure The Bahamas of at least a stay in Group II for 2010, while a loss could be detrimental as it would force The Bahamas to play a relegation tie which could drop the country to Group III in 2010. Knowles is the key. He is a top five player in the world in doubles, and just his presence alone could assure the country of a victory in March, or in July for the second tie of the year. The BLTA certainly got it right last year when they invited him to be of some assistance to what was still a relatively young team. It was also good to have Grand Bahamian Timothy Neely back in the fray for local tennis supremacy. Hopefully, Knowles returns this year. He is nearing the end of a storied tennis career, but there is no doubt that he still has a lot to offer, and we as a country should capitalize off that.