PREPARATIONS for the highly anticipated Davis Cup tie between South Africa and India are well on track and South Africans can look forward to enthralling games of tennis.

This is according to South African Tennis Association chief executive Ian Smith, who stressed yesterday that is was all systems go for the clash that gets under way in Johannesburg from September 18 to 20.

The battle in the world team event will play out at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena.

Though the clash has all the hallmarks of an intriguing encounter, tickets for the matches have not been selling well, thanks to the limited marketing of the spectacle.

This, according to Smith, is because of the high costs of advertising the event.

But he is still adamant that they will sell enough tickets for the tournament.

"Apart from the tickets issue, everything is going accordingly in terms of logistics," Smith said.

"The courts have already been laid out."

He admitted, though, it has been expensive to give the tournament the publicity it deserves.

"(The Indians) have a solid team. We hope to do well, but we also know that India is determined to do well and they will give our players a real test of character."

The hosts will pin their hopes on the likes of Wesley Moodie, Rik de Voest and Izak van der Merwe.

The visiting team will include players such as Somdev Devvarman and Vishnu Vardhan, who could prove a handful for the hosts.