Four Bhutanese tennis players will leave for Vietnam tomorrow to represent the country at the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group V, scheduled from 11th to 14th November. The team has been preparing for the tournament for about three months, focusing on physical fitness, match preparation and strengthening their overall game.
Bhutan will compete alongside 13 other nations, including Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Guam, Laos, Macau, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pacific Oceania, Tajikistan, the UAE and Yemen.
For the four Bhutanese players, the tournament will provide international exposure and an opportunity to compete against players from across the Asia-Oceania region.
Among the team members is 18-year-old Jamyang Choeda from Tsirang, one of the youngest players in the team. A Class XI student of Dechencholing Higher Secondary School, Jamyang started playing tennis when he was seven.
“This Davis Cup tournament will be my first experience, as it is my first time, and I am expecting to give my best and do what I can,” said Jamyang Choeda.
Another team member, 21-year-old Jigme Norbu from Samdrup Jongkhar, will compete in both singles and doubles. The third-year student of Royal Thimphu College has represented Bhutan in around five international tournaments.
“I’ve been playing tennis for more than a decade; it’s my first appearance at this Davis Cup. We’ve been training intensely with many more professionals now so we can guarantee we’re going to give it our all during the matches,” said Jigme Norbu.
Similarly, 21-year-old Thinley Dorji from Wangdue Phodrang has represented Bhutan in five international tournaments.
“I have been playing tennis for a decade. We have trained for the last three months, and we hope to give our best in this upcoming tournament,” said Thinley Dorji.
The fourth player, 20-year-old Sherab Gyeltshen from Samdrup Jongkhar, has competed in three international-level competitions, including the Under-12 International Championship, Junior Series and National Open competitions.
“I am proud to represent Team Bhutan at the Davis Cup in Vietnam. We have been training for the past three months, and we are ready to compete with the other countries. We will give our best,” said Sherab Gyeltshen.
The team has been training under Coach Tashi Dorji, with preparations focusing on physical fitness, strength and mental readiness. The players have been training for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening each day.
According to the coach, the four players were selected from a pool of ten players in the last week of October.
“From ten boys, BTF selected four boys. So, we have been training for three months till now. So, we are mentally prepared and physically fit. So, let’s see what will happen down there,” said Tashi Dorji.
The Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group V is part of the International Tennis Federation’s regional competition structure. The top two teams will earn promotion to Group IV for 2027.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sonam Pem
