Cambodia-based hire purchase firm Group Lease Finance is the latest business enterprise to support as co-sponsors the national tennis team, which left for Dubai yesterday to take part in the Asia-Oceania Group III Davis Cup campaign.

This second tier of backing for the Tennis Federation of Cambodia, behind main sponsors NagaWorld, follows Coca-Cola Cambodia jumping on board as partners two weeks ago.

The Cambodian Davis Cup squad left Phnom Penh yesterday morning and will play their first pool tie on Wednesday.

The official draw for the event to determine the two pools among eight contestants will be held tomorrow.

Fast growing in popularity all over the Kingdom as a major player in motor finance, GLF wholly sponsored two of the three ITF Men’s Futures events staged back-to-back at the National Training Centre during November-December last year, with company president Mitsuji Konoshita, a former Japanese pro-circuit player himself, throwing his full weight behind the sponsorship.

Now the charismatic business magnate has extended that support to the national squad, strengthening further GLF’s bonding with the TFC.

“We at the GLF are delighted to play whatever part we can at this stage to get behind the TFC in one of its most challenging assignments,” Konoshita said at news conference on Friday.

“As a tennis player myself, I know how significant Davis Cup participation is in whichever group for a country big or small. Cambodia’s astounding success at Doha last year has given us that motivation to give TFC a helpful push to lift its morale and self-belief for a much tougher task in Dubai.

“There are thousands of tennis events staged all over the world, but the Davis Cup is very special. The whole country will be behind the team and it is a great sporting moment for any country, especially for Cambodia which has overcome so many hurdles in the past two decades to reach this point,” he added.

“I hope and pray for another fairytale success in Dubai similar to the one in Doha which left the rest of the tennis world sit up in awe and admire a nation with just 30 tennis courts. I wish non-playing captain Tep Rithivit … and his team members great success.”

Tep Rithivit, who is also the TFC’s secretary-general, told reporters: “Let me express our deepest sense of gratitude on behalf of the TFC and the Davis Cup squad to the GLF and president Mitsuji Konoshita for this grand gesture. Every partnership is crucially important for the TFC and this staunch backing will only help us firm our resolve to do well and uphold the country’s pride.”