Captaincy cherry on the top, says De Jager

Former South African doubles star John-Laffnie de Jager is the new Davis Cup captain, replacing Kevin Curren.

And there's certainly no time to waste as the country will next be in action from September 23 to 25.

Top of De Jager's priority list - before he can set any long-term goals for the team - is beating Morocco in that tie which will be played on clay.

"Obviously my first job is to get hold of all the players to see who's available and who's not," said De Jager on Thursday.

"I will be leaving for New York on Saturday and will see most of the guys at the US Open, so I'll have a chat with them there.

"The Morocco tie will be played on red clay which is going to be a real challenge for our guys as there aren't many clay courts in South Africa and a lot is going to depend on which Moroccans are available for their team.

"We've got a young team but most of our guys are playing on the ATP tour so they've played on clay before."

De Jager is no stranger to Davis Cup tennis, having represented the country in six ties, winning five matches and losing just one.

He also reached the doubles semifinals of the Australian Open in 1993 and 1995 and the US Open in 1998 as well as the Sydney Olympic semifinal in 2000 before retiring at the end of 2003.

"I'm passionate about tennis and my number one thing was always Davis Cup before any other tournament because I'm a real team player," he explained.

"So being named as the captain of the team is the cherry on the top. "My goal is to get the best out of every player I work with.

"I plan to work together with Rowena Sanders, the Fed Cup captain.

"I'll also be seeking the advice of former players in South Africa and coaches here so I'm looking forward to the job," he added.