Cambodia wins its Davis Cup debut with a 3-0 victory over Singapore in Group four of the Asia/Oceania Zone. Cambodian-American Mam Panhara plays for the team, as does his brother Vitu Mom. "We were born and raised in the United States, but we are honored to represent the country of our father’s origin," Panhara told the Phnom Penh Post. "This is our first visit and we are excited and pumped up at the prospect of playing for Cambodia." The siblings are from Oregon and Panhara played for Portland University.
Bun Kenny, who has a Cambodian father and French mother, grew up in France but now lives part of the year in Cambodia.
Cambodian businessman and Secretary General of the Tennis Federation of Cambodia Tep Rithivit is given credit for promoting tennis in Cambodia after the notorious Khmer Rouge years, when some estimated 1.7 million people were killed. Tep, who fled to France and then Canada shortly before Pol Pot came to power, recalled playing tennis with his father, Tep Khunnah, who was one of the country's best players in the 1960s. According to AFP, he discovered that all but three of Cambodia's Top 40 players had perished. Courts were said to be used for executions.
The Cambodian government and the International Tennis Federation have given financial support to tennis, but Tep, a successful consultant, has put his own money into the sport.
The Davis Cup zonal tie is being played in Doha.