Andrea Binaghi, who has headed the Italian tennis federation (FITP) since 2001, pointed to reforms over the last 10-15 years to decentralise the coaching system and offer more financial, technical and psychological support to young talent.
India ended Day 1 in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against Brazil down 0-2 after Rohan Bopanna and Somdev Devvarma lost the opening singles, at the Nungambakkam stadium on Friday.
Vishnu Vardhan scripted a clinical singles victory and then combined with Divij Sharan to win the heart-stopping doubles rubber as India's young guns lived up to the expectations by winning the Davis Cup Group 1 relegation play-off tie against New Zealand in Chandigarh on Saturday.
Early morning heavy showers delayed the start of the Davis Cup tie between India and New Zealand in Chandigarh on Friday.
With Andy Roddick retired, Mardy Fish unavailable and Spain apparently unbeatable at home on clay, the United States look distant second favourites when the two nations clash in the Davis Cup semi-final in Gijon starting on Friday.
Leander Paes beat New Zealand's Mark Nielsen 6-1, 7-6, 6-2.\n\n
France will meet Serbia in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup after both finished off their last-eight ties inside two days on Saturday but Australia and Belgium were made to sweat.
Top 10 duo Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco have returned to the Spain side for next month's Davis Cup final against Czech Republic, captain Albert Costa said on Monday.
The Czech Republic beat holders Spain 3-2 to win the Davis Cup for the first time as an independent nation when Radek Stepanek overcame Nicolas Almagro in four tough sets before a raucous home crowd on Sunday.
The Czech Republic beat holders Spain 3-2 to win the Davis Cup for the first time as an independent nation when Radek Stepanek overcame Nicolas Almagro in four tough sets before a raucous home crowd on Sunday.
Rohan Bopanna and debutant N Sriram Balaji were clinical in routing their rivals as India sealed the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie against Uzbekistan by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead, in Bengaluru, on Saturday.
Following a victory over Alexei Popyrin at the Queen's Club Championships in his 1,000th tour-level singles contest, Murray withdrew due to the injury while trailing 4-1 in the first set of his second-round match with Jordan Thompson on Wednesday.
Chairman of selectors Shyam Minotra said Amritraj, the highest ranked Indian on the ATP at 317, deserved to be in the team.
They need to beat Thailand to advance to the World Group finals.
Doubles specialist Wesley Moodie was named in South Africa's five-member squad for the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against India, from September 18 to 20, in Johannesburg.
Conchita Martinez will take over as Spain's Davis Cup captain for the Group I tie away to Russia.
Unheralded British youngster Kyle Edmund faces a Davis Cup baptism of fire when he makes his debut in the final on Friday against Belgium's David Goffin in the opening rubber.
World No 7 Tomas Berdych will lead the Czech Davis Cup team in their semi-final clash against Argentina later this month.
Bringing in his wealth of experience, Leander Paes combined with debutant Purav Raja to keep India afloat by winning the do-or-die doubles rubber against Korea on Saturday, but it will take a super heroic effort to save the hosts from a defeat in the Davis Cup tie.
James Ward defied the odds to beat American marathon man John Isner.
Canada named rising star and world number 69 Denis Shapovalov in its squad to take on India in the upcoming Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie, scheduled in Edmonton from September 15.
Stanislas Wawrinka survived a second-set wobble to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 and give Switzerland a 1-0 lead over hosts France in the Davis Cup final on Friday. In the second match, Gael Monfils rose to the occasion as he upset Roger Federer 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 to help France level.
Somdev Devvarman routed world number 59 Yen-Hsun Lu 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 to steer India to the third round of the Asia/Oceania Group I Davis Cup competition as the stunning victory gave the visitors an unassailable 3-1 lead against Chinese Taipei in Kaohsiung on Sunday. India will now play the winners of the other second round tie between Australia and Thailand in May to qualify for the World Group play-offs.
The team made the grade after finishing third in the Asia-Oceania zonal qualifiers in Jakarta last week.
The Davis Cup revolt by Prakash Amritraj and Rohan Bopanna against captain Leander Paes was a diaster waiting to happen, according to former India player Anand Amritraj.
The April 4-6 match will be held at the lush green grass courts of the Calcutta South Club.
World number five David Ferrer cruised to a 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 win over Tomas Berdych to put defending champions Spain level with the Czech Republic at 2-2 in the Davis Cup final on Sunday.
The Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych brought the hosts level at 1-1 with holders Spain in the Davis Cup final with a battling five-set victory over Nicolas Almagro on Friday.
Holders Spain clinched a Davis Cup semi-final berth at home to the United States when David Ferrer cruised to a 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Austria's Juergen Melzer to give the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead on Sunday.
India's top singles player Yuki Bhambri and Asian Games gold-medallist Divij Sharan have pulled out of the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie against Serbia due to injuries while Sumit Nagal has refused to join the team as a stand-by.
Switzerland face the 2007 winners from March 6 to 8 in a tie that could feature the world's No 1-ranked doubles pair, and the Olympic gold medal winning pair. In another fascinating tie, the 2008 finalists Spain will host Serbia, which could see world number one Rafael Nadal facing No 3 Novak Djokovic.
Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pulled out of France's team for their Davis Cup quarter-final against the United States with a knee injury. World number 13 Tsonga, who felt pain in his right knee during training and will have to rest for a week, will be replaced by Arnaud Clement.
Andy Roddick's rare victory over world number one Roger Federer last week has boosted his confidence in time for this weekend's Davis Cup quarter-finals where he will pilot holders the United States against France. Eight of the world's top 10 players will line up for the four ties being played from Friday to Sunday.
American Bob Bryan, one half of the world's top-ranked doubles pair, has pulled out of the Davis Cup semi-final against Spain starting on Friday after aggravating a shoulder injury.
Ramkumar Ramanthan gave his all but it was not enough to stop Laslo Djere from winning his first Davis Cup match as India trail Serbia 0-1 in the World Group Play-off tie, in Kraljevo, Serbia, on Friday.
Rafa Nadal ended a relatively barren year on a thrilling high when he battled back from a set down to beat Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro and secure Spain's fifth Davis Cup tennis triumph on Sunday.
Britain celebrated their first Davis Cup victory over the United States since 1935 when Andy Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 on Sunday in the World Group first-round tie in San Diego.
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