Prajnesh Gunneswaran lost to a lower-ranked Otto Virtanen, while Ramkumar Ramanathan was beaten by Emil Ruusuvuori, leaving India trailing Finland 0-2 in the Davis World Group I, in Espoo, on Friday.
'Drawing Canada is golden chance for India to get into World Group'
Switzerland's preparations for the Davis Cup Final against France in Lille on Sunday have been disrupted by a back injury to Roger Federer and a spat within the Swiss camp.
Former India tennis star Vijay Amritraj says the new Davis Cup format will not affect the country much as it is still playing home and away games in Group I and not the World Group matches.
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.
The doubles specialist made the team at the expense of Prakash Amritraj, who was rendered ineligible after the new sports policy that bars foreign passport holders from representing the country. Amritraj holds a United States passport.
John Isner shocked Roger Federer in four sets to secure a 2-0 lead for the United States away to Switzerland in Davis Cup World Group action Friday while holders Spain carved out the same advantage over Kazakhstan in their first-round tie.
AITA said last week they had written to International Tennis Federation (ITF) asking them to shift the tie to a neutral venue
Four members of the Davis Cup team have written to the AITA saying they will not play under captain Leander Paes.
Argentina, the Czech Republic and Spain also booked their places in the last eight by opening up 3-0 leads.
The youngster faces Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin, while Rohan Bopanna will play Farrukh Dustov in the Asia Oceania Zone Group I tie.
Rafael Nadal's decision to opt out of Spain's Davis Cup tie against Peru is understandable given the physical problems the world number two has experienced in recent seasons, captain Emilio Sanchez-Vicario said.
Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will make his Davis Cup debut for France in a first-round tie against Romania next month.
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.
Spain's talisman Rafael Nadal sealed a sixth Davis Cup title for his country on Sunday when they beat Canada 2-0 in the final of the revamped event.
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.
India were drawn against their Pakistan for an away Asia-Oceania Zone Group 1 fixture.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said the government will not have any say on whether India should participate in next month's Davis Cup tie in Pakistan as the event is not a bilateral engagement.
In what would come as a massive blow to India's chances at the Davis Cup, tennis ace Leander Paes pulled out of the US Open mixed doubles semi-finals due to back spasms which also makes him doubtful for the World Group playoff tie against Japan next week.
Britain's world number one Andy Murray will play against France in the Davis Cup quarter-finals in April after missing the first-round victory against Canada last weekend.
In what can be termed a decent draw, India is pitted against Japan in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie, beginning September 16. The winner of the tie will advance to the World Group while the losing nation will compete in the Asia-Oceania Group I zone.
Rohan Bopanna returned to the country's Davis Cup squad after a two-year gap as AITA named a six-member team on Saturday, for the Asia/Oceania Group I contest against Chinese Taipei, starting January 31 in Indore.
The Australian is still suffering the effects of an injury he picked up during the US Open and had been rested as a precaution.
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.
Roared on by a capacity crowd in the Palexpo Arena, Federer dismantled the world number 17 Fognini 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (4) in just under two hours.
Leander Paes yet again turned the clock back in company of Rohan Bopanna as the Indian duo recorded a dramatic come-from-behind 1-6, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3, 8-6 win over Serbian pair of Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac to keep home team's chances alive in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie in Bangalore on Saturday
He was scheduled to travel to Chengdu to compete in the Australian Open Playoff event, which will give the regional players a main-draw entry into the 2026 Australian Open.
India's No 2 tennis player Karan Rastogi wants to win back his place in Indian Davis Cup squad and improve on his ranking this year.
The AITA said the appointment was made as captain Leander Paes 'would require help and support'.
Rafael Nadal returned to Davis Cup action for the first time in two years on Friday with his victory putting Spain ahead in a Group One relegation playoff against Denmark.
Somdev Devvarman recorded his first Davis Cup win to keep India afloat in the second round tie against Chinese Taipei as both the teams were locked 1-1 on the opening day of the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I tie in Kaohsiung (Chinese Taipei) on Friday.
Juan Ignacio Chela held his nerve to seal a 3-2 victory over holders Croatia to enter the Davis Cup semi-finals.
Christensen, Rashford on target as Barcelona beat Guadalajara in Copa del Rey
Germany were the fastest team into September's semi-finals, continuing a long tradition of thrashing Belgium.
Greg Rusedski announced his retirement after helping Britain to establish a 3-0 lead over the Netherlands in Davis Cup.
The All India Tennis association (AITA), taking a more aggressive stance than earlier, said it would not request for a neutral venue for the Asia Oceania Zone 1 tie on September 14-15 as is being asked by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
AITA likely to request ITF to consider neutral venue for Davis Cup tie vs Pak
The 12 winners of the Qualifiers on March 6-7 next year will compete alongside the six nations that have automatically qualified for the 2020 Finals.
They beat Uzbekistan's Farrukh Dustov and Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 first round tie.
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