Serbia's World No 2 Novak Djokovic has been left out of Saturday's doubles in the Davis Cup final against holders CzechRepublic, with Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac named to play against Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek.
Rohit Rajpal will continue as India's non-playing captain. He took over as captain last year after the country's top players and then captain Mahesh Bhupathi refused to travel to Pakistan in November. India is scheduled to travel to Croatia for their next tie on March 6 and 7.
In his place, Tommy Robredo has been called up alongside David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.
Coming into the do-or-die match, Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes, with a combined age of 86, won 6-3, 6-7(9), 7-5 after two hours and 21 minutes against Pavic and Skugor, ranked 15 and 32 respectively.
The International Tennis Federation on Friday decided not to suspend Australia from Davis Cup competition for forfeiting their Asia/Oceania Group I tie against India and let them off with a mild punishment -- a fine of US $10,000.
Spain went 2-1 ahead in the Davis Cup final against Argentina on Saturday when Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez beat David Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri in a fiery doubles encounter. Nalbandian and Calleri took the first set before the visitors hit back for a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 win in three hours 19 minutes to put Spain within reach of a shock win.
Senior pro Leander Paes's place in the Indian Davis Cup team will be up for discussion when the AITA Selection Committee meets on Monday to pick the squad for the upcoming Asia/Oceania Zone tie against Uzbekistan.
Indian junior team finished fourth in the Junior Davis Cup competition after losing 1-2 to Russia in the World Finals in Mexico.
Indian team's hopes of annexing its first junior Davis Cup title win went up in smoke after it was blanked 0-3 by the United States in the semifinals.
Yuki Bhambri will replace the injured Leander Paes in the Indian Davis Cup team for their away World Group play-off tie against South Africa from Friday. Yuki thus became the fourth member of the team, which will strive to enter World Group after 11 years.
Team India lauds Yuki Bhambri, hero of match against New Zealand.
Leander Paes is set to return to the Indian Davis Cup squad after making himself available for the upcoming tie against Pakistan as the country's top players and non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi have refused to travel to the neighbouring nation, citing security concerns.
The Indian Davis Cup team is set for a battle of gigantic proportions as it takes on five-time champions Spain, who have packed the side with world class performers headlined by the legendary Rafael Nadal in their desperation to reclaim a spot in the elite World Group.
Vivek Shokeen and Somdev Dev Varman were named in the team to face Uzbekistan the Asia-Oceania Group 1 first round away tie.
Serbia's decision to leave Novak Djokovic out of the doubles rubber of their Davis Cup final against Czech Republic was "like leaving a Ferrari in the garage", victorious opponent Radek Stepanek said on Sunday.
The All India Tennis Association may be backing Leander Paes to the hilt in him making the squad for the Rio Olympics, but the veteran star will not be picked in the Davis Cup team despite showing late interest in competing in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie against Korea Republic next month.
Bob and Mike Bryan crushed Russians Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 to give the Americans an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five match final.
Yuki Bhambri and Dhakshineswar Suresh prevailed in a marathon doubles rubber, outlasting David Pel and Sander Arends 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1) as India edged ahead 2-1 in their Davis Cup Qualifiers Round 1 tie against the Netherlands, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
The rebel group, demanding better playing conditions from the All India Tennis Association, said they will continue to remain unavailable for Davis Cup selection until the federation engages with them in 'good faith'.
Sumit Nagal has been dropped from the five-member Indian Davis Cup team for the World Group 1 play-off tie against Denmark in New Delhi next month.
In Paes's absence, seasoned Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni will do the doubles duty in the July 17-19 tie, to be held in Christchurch.
India will now face world number two Croatia for the Qualifiers in an away tie
Rafael Nadal will play Sergiy Stakhovsky in Friday's second Davis Cup singles rubber after Spain announced their lineup for the World Group playoff at home to Ukraine on Thursday.
Rafa Nadal has returned to the Spain team as they seek to maintain their Davis Cup World Group status with a playoff tie against Ukraine in Madrid later this month, captain Alex Corretja said on Monday.
Instead he is fielding youngsters Harsh Mankad and Prakash Amritraj in the Asia-Oceania group I Davis Cup tie against China.
Mario Ancic beat Slovakia's Michal Mertinak to claim a 3-2 victory for Croatia in the Davis Cup final.
Slovakian number two Karol Beck was handed the daunting task of trying to stop Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic when the draw for the Davis Cup final was made on Thursday.
Leander Paes beat New Zealand's Mark Nielsen 6-1, 7-6, 6-2.\n\n
Harsh Mankad, included as a reserve player in the squad, had earlier demanded a guarantee of him playing in the tie.
Leander Paes aspires to win not only a second Olympics medal but also obliterate the Ramanathan Krishnan's Davis Cup record of most singles win for India.
Indian colts blanked top seeds Australia 2-0 in the final of the Junior Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone tennis championship.
Igor Andreev took Russia to their second successive Davis Cup final by beating Philipp Kohlschreiber in the fifth and deciding rubber.
Bora Gojo and Marin Cilic gave Croatia a 2-0 lead over India, winning the opening singles, in their Davis Cup qualifier in Zagreb on Friday. Gojo, ranked 277th, put the hosts ahead with a come-from-behind 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over world No. 132 Prajnesh Gunneswaran while world No. 37 Cilic was taken to two tie-breakers before prevailing over 182-ranked Ramkumar Ramanathan 7-6(8), 7-6(8).
The 21-year-old Coric came from two sets to one down to defeat the 20-year-old debutant Tiafoe 6-7(0), 6-1, 6-7(11), 6-1, 6-3 and finally subdue a remarkable fightback from the Americans, who had earlier levelled the tie 2-2 from two down.
Toni Nadal has given a lukewarm response to the decision by the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) to appoint former women's Tour player Gala Leon as Spain's new Davis Cup captain.
Hong Kong have withdrawn from their Davis Cup tie against Pakistan in Islamabad citing security concerns, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said.
Holders Czech Republic showed how tenaciously they will fight to retain the Davis Cup on Saturday, while five-times champions Spain avoided being knocked out in the first round for the first time since 2006 by winning their doubles rubber against Canada.
Five-times Davis Cup champions Spain will host Britain in the first round of the 2018 competition.
