Ricky Mallory, the Bermuda Davis Cup captain, has expressed his pride in the team after they secured a spot in the world group two promotion play-offs.

Bermuda defeated Jamaica 2-1 to finish third in the Americas group three when the action concluded in San Jose, Costa Rica. They joined Bolivia and Puerto Rico as the teams that will have a crack at group two qualification in February next year.

Since making a Davis Cup debut in 1995, Bermuda has competed mostly in Americas groups three and four, with promotion and relegation between the groups years.

“I’m absolutely elated and proud to have coached these three young men,” Mallory told The Royal Gazette.

“We now have a chance to get promoted to group two. Bermuda should be proud and I wish the whole island could have been in Costa Rica to witness the performance of these three young men, Daniel Phillips, Trey Mallory and Tariq Simons. They did an extraordinary job.

“They were up against players ranked 300 in the world. I know if they had the funding, they would be on that pro circuit as they have the potential.

“Moving up to group two is not going to be easy and it will need a lot of time, energy and funding. I’m calling out to everybody now, government and the private sector, that we need help.”

Michael Wolfe, the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association president, also praised the team.

“We're celebrating an extraordinary historic accomplishment for Bermuda tennis,” the BLTA leader said.

“This achievement marks a turning point for Bermuda in this competition as we establish our undeniable presence.

“Under the exceptional guidance of captain Ricky Mallory Jr, arguably Bermuda’s most decorated Davis Cup coach, this team has reached unprecedented heights.

“They've come together with incredible unity and achieved something that has never been accomplished before in Bermuda tennis.

“Without a doubt, this is among the most significant milestones Bermuda tennis has ever witnessed. It's a testament to their dedication, their hard work and their unwavering belief in each other.

“This is truly a special achievement, and we couldn't be prouder. We're incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of our team in Costa Rica and back home in Bermuda, which was instrumental in this success.”

Wolfe, who was with the team in Costa Rica, explained how the promotion process works.

“With us coming third in group three Americas, we have earned the right to be placed into the play-off pool for world group two,” he said.

“What that means is in February 2026 we will play a tie which consists of two singles, a doubles and then reverse singles, against a team that is at this point in time unknown.

“If we win that tie, then we’ll complete the promotion process and that will put us in world group two, which is the second-highest group in the Davis Cup competition.

“If we lose in that tie we will drop back into the Americas group three. If we get into group two, then our next Davis Cup matches will be in September 2026.”

Against Jamaica, Phillips triumphed 6-3, 7-5 against John Chin in the first singles. Mallory went up against Blaise Bicknell, with the Jamaican winning 7-5, 6-4.In the decisive doubles, Phillips and Mallory swept to a 6-3, 6-2 over Chin and Bicknell, for Bermuda to secure third spot in the group.

“I’m really happy to make history for Bermuda,” Mallory said.

“This is what the team’s been dreaming of for a long time, and to finally do it is a dream come true. Hopefully, we keep on making Bermuda proud.”

Phillips, the youngest member of the team, was brilliant against Costa Rica, Aruba and Jamaica. The 20-year-old retired hurt in the 3-0 defeat to Bolivia, a decision that paid off as he was back to his best when Bermuda squared off with the Jamaicans.

“Our week was just unbelievable and it just felt so unreal,” the Arizona State University student said.

“I didn't lose any matches besides the one against Bolivia where I had to retire. I had to save my body for the matches against Jamaica, which was the right decision to make.

“I’m happy to represent my country. The people that came with provided great support, that really helped me with the energy and going through the motions.”