Three Knights Set to Represent Their Nations in the 2024 Davis Cup

ORLANDO – Just weeks after four former Knights claimed honors at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, a trio of current and former men’s tennis athletes are set to dawn their nation’s colors at the 2024 Davis Cup.

Known as the “World Cup of Tennis,” the tournament features nations worldwide competing over nine months from February to November, with the finals taking place in late November in Malaga.

This week, former Knights Bogdan Pavel (Romania) and Alan Rubio (Mexico) will join UCF’s current court-one leader, Yassine Dlimi (Morocco) in the World Cup II. The winning nations from each of the 12 ties will gain qualification to the 2025 World Cup I playoffs.

Here is a breakdown of each Knight who will embark on tennis’ most competitive international competition this week:

Yassine Dlimi (Morocco) – Rising Junior

vs. Monaco (Sept. 13-14)

Dlimi has consistently gotten the call to feature for Morocco in the Davis Cup, with the 2024 edition serving as yet another honor for the rising star. One of three Moroccans currently playing for UCF (Mehdi Benchakroun and Walid Ahouda have both featured in past Davis Cup’s), Dlimi and company will play hosts to Monaco in Marrakech at the Royal Tennis Club (clay).

Dlimi went 1-0 in his nation’s 3-1 triumph over Cyprus in February to qualify through the World Cup II playoffs. Since his debut for Morocco at the 2022 Davis Cup, Dlimi boasts a 5-3 record in singles.

The 2023 American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year put in a solid sophomore campaign in the Knights’ inaugural Big 12 campaign, going 9-6 including a 10-match unbeaten stretch to conclude nonconference play.

Bogdan Pavel (Romania) – 2018-23

vs. China (Sept. 13-14)

A reigning All-American and program record-holder in career doubles victories, Pavel continues his growth at the pro level with his first inclusion on the 2024 Davis Cup squad. After being defeated by Greece in the World Cup I playoffs in February, Romania will look to bounce back with a convincing performance against China in Craiova at the Sala Polivalenta (hard).

Currently ranked No. 272 in the ATP doubles rankings, Pavel is fresh off a brilliant summer that included his first career ATP Challenger title in Iasi alongside Cezar Cretu. The former Knight's also won three ITF M15 doubles events along with a singles title at the M15 Cluj Napoca.

Pavel amassed a remarkable 73 doubles victories over five years at UCF, which was highlighted by three appearances in the NCAA Doubles Championships. In the Knights’ final season in The American, he captained the squad on court one and concluded his collegiate career with 57 singles wins.

Alan Rubio (Mexico) – 2017-22

at Georgia (Sept. 14-15)

After featuring in both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Davis Cup, Rubio is back with Mexico ahead of its match with Georgia. The nation lost in the World Cup I playoffs to Denmark, 3-1, and now make the long journey to the Alex Matreveli Tennis Complex (hard) in Tbilisi.

Rubio boats the fifth-most career singles victories with an exceptional 69 wins during his collegiate career. In 2021, he went 2-0 in doubles during the Knights’ first trip to the NCAA Tournament second round and was a pillar in both singles and doubles throughout the historic campaign.