Pacific Oceania are hopeful their success on the tennis court will lead to a funding boost for the Fed Cup women's team.
The regional team side secured promotion to Asia/Oceania Zone Group One last weekend after winning all four of their matches in Bahrain.
Steffi Carruthers, captain Gilles De Gouy, Abigail Tere-Apisah and Carol Lee celebrate promotion. Photo: Supplied/Gilles De Gouy
Team captain Gilles De Gouy said playing againt regional giants like China and Korea in 2019 would hopefully open the door to more opportunities and resources.
"Now we have a potential sponsor, like in Samoa there is someone who is importing sports clothes who is quite keen now to support Fed Cup and hopefully we can support (the men's team in) Davis Cup but in terms of funds...we should get more funds from the International Tennis Federation for sure and also it's an open gate for private sponsors to get involved with a top team," he said.
Gilles De Gouy is based in New Zealand and says with three players spread across Samoa, Australia and the Northern Marianas they only get to meet up once a year when the Fed Cup is on.
"Abigail (Tere-Apisah from Papua New Guinea) has no coach all year round so it was also a different experience for her to have a coach on the bench, someone she can trust, so now she's at one point where she needs a coach."
"I know that David Smith (from the Oceania Tennis Federation) has already supported her via ITF to get some funds, but no she is in Asia she has to do it by herself, so definitely girls in ITF or the Oceania Tennis Federation needs to be more supported financially for sure," he said.
Gilles De Gouy said he expects Abigail Tere-Apisah, Steffi Carruthers and Carol Lee to all be available for selection again next year.