Ghana’s Diamond Rackets have been drawn in Pool D of Group III of the Europe/Africa Zone for this year’s Billie Jean King Cup. The team made the trip to Vilunius, Lithuania over the weekend.

Their ability to make the trip comes as a welcome news to the Federation, as president Isaac Aboagye-Duah confirmed to Joy Sports, there was the likelihood the Diamond Rackets will be unable to honour the tournament.

“The list that was published was not from the federation. Someone is just being mischievous. I don’t know the final list because we are struggling with visa. VS Global closed down, they were not offering visa to any Ghanaian, so we had to go through Lithuania and go to Holland, they are not even accepting visa forms. Whether they’ll get or not, we don’t know.

“If the coach and players do not get visas, we cannot go,” Mr. Duah said in an earlier interview with Joy Sports.

Despite the doubt, the Diamond Rackets pulled up a team consisting of Naa Anyeama McKorley, Naa Shika McKorley, Antoinette Cruickshank and Nyanyuie Grace Tomegah to represent the country.

Alongside Ghana in Pool D are Armenia, Iceland and Ireland, making their 13th appearance in the competition. Twenty-one countries will compete in Zone three of the tournament in a round-robin format. Group winners will compete in a play-offs mode, to determine the two teams which will achieve promotion.

Ghana’s first match will be on June 15, at 12pm versus Ireland.

Naa Shika McKorley and Annette Cruickshank will have the Diamond Racket’s first taste in the competition, while Grace Tomegah and Naa Anyeama McKorley will pair up for the doubles event.