Cancini To Represent Venezuela

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State senior tennis team member Maty Cancini has been selected to represent her home country of Venezuela in 2020 Fed Cup qualifying, Feb. 5-6, in Santiago, Chile.

The event, which is dubbed the World Cup of Tennis, actually takes place Feb. 5-8, but Cancini will cut her trip short to return to the states as the Cyclones face 2019 NCAA qualifier Alabama on Feb. 8.

The Fed Cup qualifying features multiple groups, with Venezuela participating against Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru. Venezuela will be playing in a Pool A round robin with Paraguay and Colombia, with the top-two teams advancing to face the top teams in the other pool.

Cancini is one of four players participating for Venezuela in the clay court event.

The Valencia, Venezuela native is thrilled to have the opportunity to represent her homeland.

"It's pretty exciting," Cancini said. "This has been a goal for me since I was a kid. I haven't been in Venezuela for like two years now, just because everything there is pretty bad. And having the opportunity to kind of connect with my country again. It's so nice."

For Iowa State head coach Boomer Saia, the decision to allow Cancini to go was a no-brainer.

"When Maty approached me and told me that they had asked her to be on the Fed Cup team, I think to play for your country is something truly special," Saia said. "We ended up making it work where she could go down to Chile and play, and get to represent Venezuela. It's one of the coolest things in her lifetime that she'll be able to tell her future friends and kids about. So, it's a really neat opportunity for her."

Cancini, who has rotated between playing No. 1 and 2 singles this season, has won her last seven decisions while playing for the Cyclones.

The matchups for the event have not yet been determined.