Tennis team ready to rumble in NMI’s 1st Davis Cup stint

The current Four Horsemen of NMI tennis—Colin Sinclair, Robbie Schorr, Colin Ramsey, and Tomas Abel—are ready to rumble as Team NMI makes its Davis Cup debut in Isa Town, Bahrain today.

The Davis Cup is a team competition and is the largest annual team competition in tennis, with over 150 teams competing each year. The format for each “tie” is that the No. 2 singles players play each other, then the No. 1 players face off, followed by the doubles team.

The NMI, which is currently in Group 5, is one of 15 countries in the competition and according to Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Federation president and NMI Davis Cup team skipper Jeff Race, if the whole team is healthy, they will be one of the top teams there.

After all members made their way to Bahrain and held practice sessions yesterday and the day before, Race said that the guys “are excited and looking forward to the competition.”

He added that the Philippines is one of the most notable teams there. “They were in Group 2 and this is Group 5. They are down here I think due to some sanctions and it’s the first time they are playing in a few years. Two of the top teams will advance to Group 4 next year.”

At press time, Race said that they are still waiting for what counties will be in their pool.

Sinclair, the 29-year-old former No. 1 player of the Pacific Oceania Davis Cup team, said the entire team is excited for today’s start of competition.

“We are excited to play our first tie. We are the newest team in Davis Cup so we enter the competition at the bottom of the world rankings. So. we can only go up from here. We’ve got a great team here and a great shot at getting promoted to Group 4.”

Twenty-five-year-old Ramsey said in an interview yesterday that his first ever stint in the Davis Cup will be one of those trips he’ll remember forever.

“Our team has finally all arrived and we hit the courts the other day. It’s so nice to reconnect with Colin (Sinclair) and Robbie. Tomas adds a great dynamic to the team as well. Colin has been dealing with lower back issues this whole season and won’t be at his full potential,” he said. “The rest of us will have to rise to the occasion and do our best to make the NMI proud. Jeff will have the captains meeting today [yesterday] which will decide the seedings and who is in our pool. Competition starts tomorrow [today]!”

As for the conditions in Bahrain, he said, “A bit drier than we’re used to, but the temperature is about the same. In the afternoon, it’s perfect tennis weather.”

For the youngest of the group, 22-year-old Schorr, who flew in from the U.S., he said, “I practiced for the first time on the courts yesterday [Monday]. Everything felt good, courts are fairly quick so it’s all about adjusting to that. The venue is nice, there are six courts and is about 15 minutes away from the hotel.”

Abel, who flew with Race and Ramsey from Saipan, said, “Everyone got into town safely, with Robbie and Colin Sinclair coming in from the mainland and Australia, respectively. Today is the day when we find out who we will play in our group, so we are excited about that. We have been able to get really good practice times in daily. The venue is nice; about a half hour drive from the hotel. The weather is also reasonable, similar temp to Saipan but less humid. Coach Race and the team manager Karen Buettner have been doing a great job working out all the logistics of our movements and making sure everyone is doing well.”

ATP Tour veteran and former Pacific Oceania Davis Cup player, 29-year-old Sinclair flew in from Brisbane, Australia after his doubles championship win in the Brisbane QTC Tennis International just last weekend.

He teamed up with Brandon Walkin and defeated Joshua Charlton and Emile Hudd in two sets, 7-6, 6-3.