Davis Cup: Nigeria Highly Rated Lose Daniel Adeleye to Wrist Injury Ahead of Morocco Tie

Nigeria have suffered a late setback ahead of their Davis Cup World Group II tie against Morocco, with Daniel Adeleye ruled out of the opening day after aggravating a recurring wrist problem.

Adeleye, Nigeria’s highest-ranked player in the squad for the Rabat tie, was unable to complete Friday afternoon’s training session after complaining of discomfort in his wrist.

The Nigerian was subsequently assessed by the team physiotherapist and the tournament doctor, following which the decision was taken to withdraw him from the opening matchday as a precaution.

His withdrawal has forced a late reshuffle of Nigeria’s singles line-up, with Abubakar Yusuf stepping into the team to make his Davis Cup debut.

Yusuf will now face Morocco’s Yassine Dlimi in the second singles rubber on Saturday, replacing Adeleye, who had originally been scheduled for the encounter.

Nigeria’s No. 1 Canice Abua remains in place for the opening rubber and will face Morocco’s Karim Bennani as the World Group II tie gets underway in Rabat.

Revised Day-One Line-up

Canice Abua (NGR) vs Karim Bennani (MAR)

Abubakar Yusuf (NGR) vs Yassine Dlimi (MAR)

The development comes at a delicate stage for Nigeria, who arrived in Morocco with ambitions of securing progression to the 2027 World Group I Play-offs.

Nigeria earned their place in World Group II after defeating Uzbekistan 3–1 in Lagos earlier this year, while Morocco entered the tie following their relegation from World Group I after a defeat by Colombia.

The two nations will contest the tie on clay at the Union Sportive des Cheminots de Tennis du Maroc in Rabat, with the winner advancing to the 2027 World Group I Play-offs.

For Nigeria, the absence of Adeleye removes one of the team’s leading singles options and places added responsibility on Abua, while Yusuf faces the considerable challenge of making his Davis Cup debut on the international stage against Dlimi.

The tie also carries a significant historical dimension. Nigeria have never defeated Morocco in their previous Davis Cup meetings, making the Rabat contest another opportunity for the Nigerian team to alter that record.

Despite the late disruption, coach Benson Ishicheli and his players will now turn their attention to the opening singles, with Abua tasked with setting the tone before Yusuf steps onto court for his first appearance in the competition.

Read Also: Davis Cup: Nigeria No. 1 Canice Abua Opens World Group II Battle Against Morocco’s Bennani

For Nigeria, the immediate priority is clear: navigate the opening day successfully despite the late loss of Adeleye and keep their World Group I Play-off ambitions firmly on course.