South Africa was not expected to fare well in its Davis Cup clash against Morocco last weekend, but for Kevin Anderson, it did not matter.

Anderson, a sophomore on the Illinois men’s tennis team, said he was ecstatic to be one of four South Africans chosen to represent his native country in Morocco during the final match of this year’s Davis Cup competition.

“I’m very, very happy for him – it’s a tremendous honor for him, and we’re very proud of him,” said Illinois head coach Brad Dancer.

In late August, Anderson was first named to the team when South African star Wesley Moodie had to withdraw from the competition because of an injury.

Despite Anderson’s youth – at 19, he was the youngest member of the team – Davis Cup captain John-Laffnie de Jager told South African news sources that he wanted to give the country’s talented youngsters “a chance to show what they can do.”

South Africa is not alone in choosing to bolster its Davis Cup lineup with talented teenagers. Illinois junior GD Jones was 18 when he represented his native New Zealand in its spring tie against Kazakhstan. Rafael Nadal helped Spain defeat the United States when the two teams clashed in Davis Cup competition last year. Nadal, however, has the 2005 French Open title on his resume.

The young Illini’s selection to the Davis Cup teams could bode well for their professional futures, Dancer said.

“Being selected means that their countries believe in their future and their developmental paths over here,” Dancer said.

Although Anderson did not compete this weekend during South Africa’s 4-1 loss on the clay courts at Club Olympic de Tennis in Khemisset, a venue that seats 1,200 spectators, there is no doubt in Jones’ mind that the experience was unforgettable.

Anderson, Jones said, can best be described as a person who loves the game of tennis.

“I suspect that he spends 75 percent of his time thinking about how to get better at tennis,” Jones said.

It shows.

Since Anderson’s arrival at Illinois, he has improved his groundstrokes and his serve dramatically. And, although being slightly more reserved than many of the other members of his team, he has acquired a mental toughness he did not have at the beginning of the last collegiate season, Jones said.

That mental toughness was evident when Anderson, who was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his foot at midseason, was able to ignore the pain through the team’s last match of the season at the Sweet 16 in College Station, Texas. Anderson won his singles match over Florida State’s Jeff Groslimond, 6-4, 6-1, but Illinois lost the match, 4-2.

The mental toughness that has helped Anderson succeed so far in his career will only help him in the future, especially when competing in away Davis Cup matches, Jones said, where hostile crowds are the norm.

In April 2000, the Chilean fans were so enraged over line calls (when the Chilean Davis Cup team hosted Argentina) that they tossed chairs, coins, bottles and fruit onto the courts the athletes were playing on. The Argentine athletes were forced to flee for safety. Following that episode, Chile was suspended from Davis Cup play for one year and declared unable to host Davis Cup competitions until 2002.

Anderson’s mental fortitude may also help him prepare for the nervousness that comes from representing South Africa.

Jones, who has an undefeated record in Davis Cup singles and reverse singles competition, said competing for New Zealand was not only a great honor but also a great responsibility. Being unable to compete this weekend because of an injury was “the hardest thing I have experienced so far as a tennis player,” Jones said.

“I don’t think you feel any more pressure than you can when playing for your country,” Jones said. “Your desire to do well is greater than any other match that you play.”