By Aderonke Ojo
The stage is set for a weekend thriller as the official draw for the 2026 Davis Cup World Group II tie between hosts Morocco and Nigeria was conducted earlier today at the Conference Hall of the Union Sportive des Cheminots de Tennis du Maroc in Rabat.
Prior to the draw, a meet-and-greet was held where players, coaches and officials of both countries interacted in a cordial atmosphere. The session, which was witnessed by International Tennis Federation (ITF) representatives, set the tone for the formal ceremony.
Nigeria’s No.1, Canice Abua, will open proceedings against Morocco’s Karim Bennani in the first singles rubber on Saturday morning. In the second singles of Day One, Nigeria’s Daniel Adeleye will take on Morocco’s Yassine Dlimi.
Action resumes on Sunday with the crucial doubles rubber. Morocco will present the pair of Younes Lalami and Yassine Dlimi against Nigeria’s Michael Emmanuel and Yusuf Abubakar.
The reverse singles will follow. Karim Bennani will face Daniel Adeleye, while the potentially decisive fifth rubber will pit Yassine Dlimi against Canice Abua.
All five rubbers will be best-of-three tiebreak sets on clay.
The tie holds huge significance for Nigeria, who are seeking to break a 50-year winless run against Morocco. Nigeria has lost all four previous Davis Cup meetings between the two nations since 1973.
The Nigerian contingent, which arrived in Rabat on Monday after an intensive training camp in Lagos, is led by Head Coach Benson Ishicheli and was ably represented at the draw ceremony by NTF Vice President Datti Yusuf.
Nigeria secured promotion to World Group II for the first time in three decades after a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan in February, while Morocco dropped from World Group I after losing to Colombia.
The winner of the tie will advance to the 2027 World Group I Play-offs, while the loser remains in World Group II.
*Full Order of Play:*
*Day 1 – Saturday, Singles*
1. Canice Abua (NGR) vs Karim Bennani (MAR)
2. Daniel Adeleye (NGR) vs Yassine Dlimi (MAR)
*Day 2 – Sunday, Doubles and Reverse Singles*
1. Michael Emmanuel/Yusuf Abubakar (NGR) vs Younes Lalami/Yassine Dlimi (MAR)
2. Daniel Adeleye (NGR) vs Karim Bennani (MAR)
3. Canice Abua (NGR) vs Yassine Dlimi (MAR)
