Persio Maldonado highlights the strategic role of the Cibao in Dominican tennis
The president of the Dominican Tennis Federation (Fedotenis), Persio Maldonado, emphasized the close connection that the discipline maintains with the Cibao region. During the celebration of the Davis Cup series between the Dominican Republic and Egypt at the Centro Español in Santiago, Maldonado highlighted that this event is a fundamental step for the national team to achieve its promotion to World Group I.
The sports leader highlighted the historical contribution of this area to the development of tennis in the country. “The Cibao has had a very significant presence. We have figures like Peter Bertran, a native of Santiago, and Nick Hardt, who has strong ties to Puerto Plata. In essence, we all feel part of this region,” Maldonado expressed.
Decentralization of national tennis
Maldonado reaffirmed Fedotenis’ commitment to bringing high-level competitions outside the capital, allowing other provinces to take center stage. In this regard, he acknowledged the work of the Santiago Tennis Association and the leadership of Gustavo Gómez, a member of the federation’s Executive Committee, for making the return of the Davis Cup to the ‘Ciudad Corazón’ possible.
We are always interested in ensuring that events are not concentrated in a single location. The Centro Español is an iconic club, with a wonderful atmosphere and the ideal conditions to host these types of international commitments.
Persio Maldonado, president of Fedotenis
The ambition to reach the world elite
Regarding the aspirations of the Dominican team, the president of the federation was optimistic about the team’s potential. Maldonado recalled that the country already has experience in decisive stages, such as the qualifying round played in 2015 against Germany, and that the current goal is to regain that competitive level to reach the World Group.
The leader highlighted the balance of the current squad, combining the experience of established figures with the growth of the new promises of local tennis:
- Core nucleus: Nick Hardt, Roberto Cid, and Peter Bertran lead the team’s competitive base.
- Emerging talent: Players like Alejandro Gandini and Enmanuel Muñoz represent the future and the generational renewal that seeks to strengthen the Dominican team’s structure in the long term.
Maldonado concluded that training work will continue to be the priority so that, in the near future, more young talents can join the national representation on the most important stages of world tennis.
