Morocco send SA crashing

South Africa have been relegated to the Euro-Africa zone Group Two for 2006 after losing their Davis Cup tie against Morocco 4-1 over the weekend.

After Justin Bower went down to Mounir El Aarej and Rik de Voest lost to Mehdi Tahiri, both in gruelling five setters, Chris Haggard and Jeff Coetzee managed to pull one back for the South Africans in Khemisset on Saturday. They defeated Talal Ouahabi and Mehdi Ziadi, also in five sets (7-6, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5).

But Sunday's reverse singles brought an end to the SA side's hopes of a victory which would have kept them safe in Group One.

De Voest lost 3-6, 4-6, 5-7 to El Aarej before Bower was downed 5-7, 6-7(2) by Tahiri.

Zimbabwe will join the South Africans in Group Two after going down 4-1 to Israel in Harare over the weekend.