Lionel Messi experienced an emotional rollercoaster in Argentina's World Cup last-16 tie against Egypt, missing a penalty but ultimately scoring a vital late equaliser to save his team's World Cup dream after being two goals down.
India's Davis Cup tie against Pakistan at Islamabad next month has been postponed to November under "exceptional circumstances" after a security review, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Thursday.
Victor Hanescu mercilessly crushed India's hopes to make the Davis Cup World Group as he knocked out Prakash Amritraj in the first reverse singles to give Romania an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match playoff tie in Bucharest on Sunday.
Seasoned pros Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi showed their class and chemistry by recording a clinical win over Igor Kunitsyn and Teimuraz Gabashvili to keep India's chances alive in the Davis Cup World Group tie against Russia in Moscow on Saturday.
India's top-ranked singles player Ramkumar Ramanathan, of late, has developed a decent serve and volley game and comeback-man Yuki Bhambri is also comfortable playing on grass courts.
Sumit Nagal fought fire with fire to bring India back in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off tie against Denmark, winning the second singles.
Switzerland took advantage of Novak Djokovic's absence to open a 2-0 lead over last year's runners-up Serbia in their Davis Cup tie on Friday with Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka winning their singles rubbers.
India will host Denmark on the lush green grass court of Delhi Gymkahna Club for the World Group I tie.
World No. 16 Marco Cecchinato will spearhead Italy's challenge, while they also have the experienced world No. 37 Andreas Seppi as they look to continue their good record against India.
The former world number one was included in a four-man team along with Chris Guccione, Paul Hanley and Peter Luczak.
'India's Davis Cup tie will now be played on September 14-15'
Somdev Devvarman will spearhead India's singles challenge in a four-member team announced by the All India Tennis Association on Friday for the Davis Cup World Group playoffs against Japan from September 16 to 18.
Tennis ace Leander Paes said Russia would be a tough opponent in next month's Davis Cup World Group tie but India are capable of defeating any side in the world in the prestigious team competition.
The Spanish world number two pulled out of the opening rubber of his country's Davis Cup World Group first round tie with Switzerland after straining a muscle in training.
Somdev Devvarman lost the first reverse singles in the Davis Cup World Group tie against Serbia, 4-6, 2-6, 5-7, to world No 18 Viktor Troicki, as India conceded an unredeemable 1-3 lead against the top seeds and defending champions.
Russia have recalled Marat Safin for next month's Davis Cup first-round tie against Serbia.
Sania Mirza and Shikha Uberoi were named in the Fed Cup tie against Korea
Sania Mirza and Shikha Uberoi were named in the Fed Cup tie against Korea
Former Davis Cup player S P Mishra, manager of the team in the tie against Japan in April, has been appointed non-playing captain for the World Group play-off match against Romania in September.
AITA is contemplating action against Sasikumar Mukund for not wearing the official jersey during the Davis Cup tie against Morocco.
Yuki Bhambri, the country's No 1 singles player, will open India's Davis Cup campaign when he takes on world No 85 Lukas Rosol in the first singles of the World Group play-off match against the Czech Republic, in Delhi, on Friday. The second singles will be played between Somdev Devvarman and Czech No 1 Jiri Vesley.
Being the top seeds, the Indian Davis Cup team received a bye for the first round of the Asia/Oeceania Group I 2016 competition.
Roger Federer will join Switzerland's Davis Cup squad when they fight for World Group survival against the Czech Republic.
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.
Rafael Nadal's decision to opt out of the Davis Cup World Group Play-off opening tie remained shrouded in mystery with Spain captain Conchita Martinez and player Feliciano Lopez coming up with two different versions.
'If it is a World Cup then yes, doing away with home and away format, is okay'
Donald Young has replaced the injured John Isner for the United States and will face Wimbledon champion Andy Murray of Britain in Friday's opening match of the first-round Davis Cup tie in San Diego.
India was handed an easy draw for next year's Davis Cup campaign in Asia/Oceania Group I, pitted against Chinese Taipei in their first round tie.
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.
John Fitzgerald has been reappointed non-playing captain of Australia's Davis Cup squad for 2008 despite failing to keep the 28-times champions in the World Group. Australia lost their place in the elite World Group for the first time since 1991 when they lost a relegation tie against Serbia in September.
The ever reliable combine of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi ensured India's interest in the Davis Cup World Group play-off in Chennai remained alive with a straight sets win over the Brazilian combine of Bruno Soares and Marcelo Melo on Saturday.
champion Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth combined to defeat Kazakhstan in their Davis Cup doubles tie on Saturday and keep Australia's semi-final hopes alive.
Five-times Davis Cup champions Spain will host Britain in the first round of the 2018 competition.
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.
Rafael Nadal to play for Spain in new Davis Cup Finals while World No 1 Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, have already said they would support the ATP Cup -- seen as a rival team event to the Davis Cup -- when it begins in Australia just a few weeks after the ITF's flagship event.
India's hopes of making it to the Davis Cup elite World Group of 16 for the first time since 1998 received a setback when they were drawn to face world No 14 Romania away from home. The draw for the eight play-off matches, from September 19 to 21, was made at the ITF headquarters in London on Wednesday morning.
Somdev Devvarman learnt a good tennis lesson from Mikhail Youzhny and was outclassed 2-6, 1-6, 3-6 in the first reverse singles, resulting in India's ouster from the elite World Group of the Davis Cup tournament in Moscow on Sunday.
Twenty-times Grand Slam champion Federer has said that he is unlikely to play in the new-look tournament, spearheaded by Barcelona player Pique's investment group Kosmos.
Roger Federer suffered a rare defeat when Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych won the doubles to give the Czech Republic a 2-1 lead over Switzerland in their Davis Cup World Group playoff tie.
The new-look Davis Cup, masterminded by Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, has the potential to rival golf's Ryder Cup as a sporting spectacle, the tennis competition's organisers say.
