JAMAICA’S five-member 2015 Davis Cup team left the island recently for Panama to play in the Qualifying Group Three Team Tennis Championships to be held in the Panama City, Panama, from July 20- 26.

The departed players were non-playing captain and coach Ryan Russell, along with Damion Johnson, Daniel Harris, Randy Phillips and Brandon Burke.

Phillips and Burrell have been living and playing in the US and Canada, respectively.

Russell said prior to the team’s departure that they have been training very hard for the tournament.

“We have a very good chance, as good as any of the other countries participating in the Davis Cup…” Russell.

“Providing we play very good and to the best of our ability, I think that Jamaica can win and return to Group Two, which Jamaica has failed to accomplish over the years,” he said.

Russell said that the Davis Cup tournament begins on Monday, and they will need to get themselves familiarised with playing on clay surface.

“Jamaicans are not really accustomed to playing on clay surfaces as we mainly use the hard-court ones. The players are really looking very sharp, especially Phillips, whom we have not seen much playing several tennis tournaments in Jamaica,” said Russell.

Meanwhile, Johnson has been Jamaica’s number one player for the past three years, while Harris is Jamaica’s number two player over the same period.

Eight countries are down to contest the Davis Cup Qualifier with the top two from the round-robin tournament qualifying to play in the big Davis Cup Championships.

The other participating countries are Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, The Bahamas and host country Panama.