The Pacific Oceania men's tennis team is facing three weeks in quarantine if they want to compete in their upcoming Davis Cup tie in Vietnam.
Brett Baudinet from the Cook Islands has been named as the playing captain for the Asia/Oceania Group Three tie in Tay Ninh in June.
Cook Islands tennis player Brett Baudinet will captain Pacific Oceania in the 2021 Davis Cup. Photo: Supplied
The Pacific's most successful Davis Cup player made his debut back in 2000 but said he still wakes up motivated to compete at the highest level.
"Coming from a tennis background family I've always just been very passionate about the sport and obviously representing our small nations - especially the Cook Islands - here in the Pacific. As long as I can keep running on the court I'll be out there representing us as long as I can, I love it."
Colin Sinclair from the Northern Marianas and Papua New Guinea's Matthew Stubbings were also a part of the last Pacific Oceania squad two years ago with Vanuatu's Clement Mainguy the new face in the senior team.
Last year's competition was cancelled because of Covid-19 but Baudinet is optimistic they will make it out on court this time.
"I think the good thing about the tie actually being held in Vietnam this year is they're ranked I think third in the world for the countries who have been managed the Covid outbreak...and I think that's part of the reason why the ITF, International Tennis Federation, selected Vietnam as the host country."
Anyone entering Vietnam must currently undergo medical checks and spend 21 days in quarantine upon arrival.
Matthew Stubbings, Colin Sinclair and Brett Baudinet during Pacific Oceania's last event in Vietnam in 2018. Photo: Supplied
The Pacific Oceania team are spread across four different countries and Baudinet said sacrifice is nothing new for them when it comes to representing their countries.
"With actually how much each of our players have to commit to Davis Cup each year it represents in a sense how strong and how much the team loves getting out there and representing (the Pacific)," he said.
"Colin would have to actually come off his tour to commit time to play Davis Cup, which unfortunately doesn't earn him points towards his world rankings. Matthew Stubbings just graduated so I think he's just out there training full-time and working.
"Clement is preparing for university (in the United States) and myself I've got multiple businesses so for me personally it is a huge cost taking the time away from my businesses but every year we're happy to do it."
The Pacific Oceania team don't usually spend much time together before competing and are embracing the possibility of an extended lead-in.
"We usually do just meet up in the host country for Davis Cup and that's kind where we just get together maybe two, three or four days before the event," Baudinet explained.
"This year we may have to be in Vietnam a couple of weeks early as part of the managed quarantine requirements, so we are waiting on those details, and if we do have to get in there two or three weeks earlier I mean that's just better for the team with preparation for the tie."
"Because our team's been so small we're very tight when we go in there and represent our countries, especially against some of these big guys who we can kind of sense going in that their bond isn't quite as strong as our team."
Hong Kong, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Syria and hosts Vietman are also scheduled to compete in Asia/Oceania Group Three, with the top three to contest the World Group Two play-offs next year.
