Sri Lanka’s Davis Cup Non-Playing Captain Aasiri Iddamalgoda speaking to ‘The Island’ on Sunday (19) said this year’s Davis Cup campaign in Syria was fantastic as Sri Lanka could earn the much anticipated Group-II entry in their Asia-Oceania Zone.

After defeating Lebanon 3-0 on Saturday (18), Sri Lanka earned qualification for Group-II after 10 years in this main annual international men's team tennis competition.  

Speaking from the Hamadanya Sports Centre in Aleppo, Syria, the venue of this year’s Asia-Oceania Zone Group-III, Iddamalgoda, who featured himself as a player in the 1999 Sri Lanka campaign in Davis Cup when she last appeared in the prestigious Group-II, thanked the Sri Lankan tennis administration and all the parties that supported their successful campaign.   

Sri Lanka’s only loss was recorded on Sunday when the highest ranked team this year, Pacific Oceania, beat them 3-0 to grab the No.1 spot in the eight-team competition. Sri Lanka ended up as the second which is a sufficient placement for their Group-II qualification that has been eluding them quite painfully during the last three years. 

"The training we had in Thailand days before we left to Syria proved very vital. The reception and the facilities we have here are very good. I thank everyone who helped us here and in Colombo, especially the Sri Lanka Tennis Association," remarked Iddamalgoda. 

In a format where only the top two nations earn the upper Group qualification, Sri Lanka ended up third in the Philippines in 2006 and a joint second in Colombo in 2007 before ending up as the fifth in Iran last year in Asia-Oceania Group-III.  

Sri Lanka team is to arrive here in Sri Lanka today (20).

Harshana Godamanna lost 1st Singles 7-5, 6-3.

Rajeev Rajapakse lost 2nd Singles 7-6(-), 6-4.

Sankha Atukorale & Guyanga Weerasekera lost Doubles 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

1. Pacific Oceania and

2. Sri Lanka.

The two countries will qualify for Group-II in 2010.